


Ice Prince, Sakura petal and snow flakes

by joe11153



Category: Bleach
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fights, Friends to Lovers, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-26
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2018-05-03 12:20:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 79,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5290592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joe11153/pseuds/joe11153
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kiyomi a very beautiful and powerful girl belonging to Fujiwara noble clan, one the most prestigious noble clans in Seireitei, wants to become a shinigami though her clan history had never permitted a female shinigami to entre in Gotei 13. Some powerful people help her become a good shinigami when she meets Byakuya, and many others. Byakuya falls in love with Kiyomi, Ukitake starts falling for her. After many years of friendship, Byakuya finds courage to confess his feelings to Kiyomi, Kiyomi accepts him as her boyfriend as she loves him too. Ukitake feels bad but never tells her anything or never mentions it to anybody and keeps it in his heart but Kyouraku notices it. Unknown to anybody, Aizen is watching Kiyomi as he wants her to be his. Kiyomi is sent to 20 years mission away from Seireitei. Her love and friends all are attacked in different ways, Urahara, Yoruichi disappear from Seireitei and Byakuya cheats on Kiyomi with Hisana which happens to be Kiyomi’s maid. Unaware of Aizen’s wicked plans, they all get separated from each other and suffer till the very end. Byakuya marries Hisana as Kiyomi asks him to and then at the time of Rukia’s execution Kiyomi and Byakuya finds out what actually ruined their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kiyomi Fujiwara

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own bleach and its characters. This story and character Kiyomi along with her family as well as others if mentioned related to her are mine to own. If this resembles to something that is other's property, its purely coincidental.  
> This is My first Fan-fiction. Please go easy on me. :)  
> I am still editing!
> 
> I have tried to match up the story time line with that of Bleach. Hope you enjoy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiyomi Fujiwara, a beautiful and intelligent girl who belongs to one of the most prestigious noble clans in Soul society, wants to become a shinigami. she desires a life of a commoner. Her clan's tradition however does not have history of female shinigami and her family and clan elders want her to get married instead. She accidentally meets some powerful and kind people who help her become Shinigami. Would she be able to become shinigami? how will her life really change?

** CHAPTER 1 **

** Kiyomi fujiwara **

Whole mansion was decorated in a traditional Japanese way; the Fujiwara family was having a celebration at the mansion for the victory brought by the proud son and the heir of ‘fujiwara’ clan, one of the topmost noble clans in the soul society. He had fought bravely in battlefield to defend the soul society from vicious army of  _adjucas_ leading thousands of hollows and hundreds of  _meno_ s to destroy the holy grounds of Society . Every _shinigami_ was praising him the other day. Today the clan head, the father of the boy has decided to make an important decision of handing over the responsibilities of the title if ‘the Head of the Clan’ to his son. The sun was low on the horizon, celebration was about to start, everybody was busy, the maids and servants were preparing for feast and other tasks related to the celebration and all people in mansion were helping each other to complete the tasks allotted to them, mansion was alive, getting more and more crowded with each guest arriving to celebrate the victory.

On the top most floor, in the balcony outside the room to very right side, a beautiful girl was seated on a chair watching all busy people rushing around….and thinking ,

‘if only I were a man, I would be sharing my brother’s excitement of battle field and the glory’. Unlike other girls from noble families, **_Kiyomi_** , was very interested in achieving the fighting skills like the _shinigamis_ had, their powers and their work of keeping _seireitie_ in peace was all she ever wanted to do, if only she had been born as a man or born in a normal family instead of one of the most prestigious noble clan in whole soul society, her fate would be different. Kiyomi was blessed with naturally powerful and tremendous amount of _reiastu,_  being a noble clan member. Her father has always allowed her learning the fighting skills and the use of _kido_ from various tutors who regularly taught her in the family’s private training grounds. She has been training with **_Eita_** , her brother and sometimes her father also used to teach her to controll, but that was not enough. She wanted to have adventures in her life, thrills and unexpected battles which would test her skills for real, she wanted to become a shinigami, wanted to have a _‘zanpakutou’_ , she wanted………..

“Kiyomi-sama…”

“Kiyomi-sama…”

“Kiyomi-sama…”,

The train of her thoughts was derailed by a soft voice of her maid named Soura. She raven haired, petite girl, with big violet eyes and soft voice, who also had become her friend over years while she was serving Kiyomi.

“Kiyomi-sama, your presence has been requested…” she couldn’t complete her sentence as Kiyomi’s cousin sister along with her friend came barging in the room. Sitting on couch and playing with her hair and the hair ornaments, looking in her reflection in mirror, setting some bangs in place she started talking excitedly to Kiyomi without ever sparing her a glance “Mi-san! Father and uncle are going to announce Eita _onii-san_ [brother] as The Head of the clan. Do you know about it yet? My mother told me! Isn’t that amazing?”

“Yes, I am very happy for Onii-san and I am happy to see you too, sister” Kiyomi said smiling slightly.

“Whoooooo, you look beautiful!! You know your fan-club members are going faint seeing you like that…….so ……C’mon…tell me….is there anybody you like!...have you chosen any suitor yet!!”

Soura was feeling very uneasy seeing the cousin was babbling about stuff that Kiyomi was not even least bit interested in, moreover it was important for them to get ready for the celebration and Kiyomi was not even wearing the Kimono specially made to be worn for the celebration exactly as her mother wanted her to. Kiyomi understood her unspoken words and Soura’s uneasiness. She said, “Soura, its ok. Just put the _kenseikan_ in place and help put the jewelry and I would be ready in minutes.”

Soura knew that her mother would not be pleased seeing her like this but the time was the enemy, she did as she was ordered to and they headed down for the celebration.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kiyomi [means pure beauty], as her name suggests, was indeed breathtakingly beautiful girl, she had milky white skin, long thick brown hair coming down to the small of her back, big green and warm eyes, slim and tall curvy physique and slender beautiful hands……… She was a rare beauty. She also was very intelligent and rich. She had everything a girl would desire but she wanted to be powerful and brave, she wanted to be the one who protects and not the one to be protected, she never wanted to be damsel in distress. She never wanted to be treated like a princess. 

After the celebration, many people who had joined the celebration form other noble clans and lesser noble families asked for Kiyomi’s hand for marriage for their pupil/son, the clan elders also wanted Kiyomi to marry one of the eligible bachelors as soon as possible. It was in fact already late for that and kiyomi’s love for obtaining fighting skills and her dreams of adventurous life was not helping the situation. Her father was an understanding man but sometimes mother would not allow her to train or to even so much as to be outside the mansion for that matter.

Training for hand to hand combat and sword fights was only thing kiyomi looked forward every morning after waking up in bed, but there were other things she had to learn too, to make her perfect ‘lady of the noble clan’ as her mother wanted her to be. The more she took lessons of ‘how to be perfect lady’, more she hated being born as a girl and that too, in a noble family. She used to envy the girls from normal families who could enroll themselves into the academy for being a shinigami. After all, her brother had told her about female _shinigami’s_ in soul society. There were even powerful and well-respected captains who were in fact women. So why not she could become one?

Lately she has started sneaking out the mansion. She had Soura buy her a normal robe, so she could were and sneak out without being spotted, if not she would easily be recognized in her immensely expensive and traditional clothes, which would have given away her plans easily. She had become very good at hiding and suppressing her reiastu by now, after all her father was training her for that and if she couldn’t have learn to control her Reiastu, the mansion and half of the property would have been destroyed due to her tremendous _reiastu_ by now.

Today was just like one of those days, kiyomi sneaked out with Soura after ensuring that nobody was noticing. They wandered around _seiretie_ , walked in shadows as usual as it had become now they wanted to head for the woods and sit at their favorite place having _sakura_ [cherry blossoms] trees and river passing by the clearing and watch the moon. Kiyomi always had wondered about how beautiful this place would look in morning. But before they make a turn to reach the pathway leading to the woods and her favorite place, she bumped into something …..oh no…not something someone….she fell on her butt and glared at the person to find a fat, ugly, drunk man looking at her menacingly. “Yo!! What a beauty like you doing here at time like this? Huh! Want to have some fun babe!” The ugly man said and trying to grab Kiyomi’s arm but she jumped on her feet and she kicked man in guts with all the force she could and grabbed Soura by hand started running in opposite direction.

The man indeed fell on the ground with a thud due to much unanticipated move, “ _Teme!”_ he shouted.

“Kiyomi sama!!” Soura yelled.

“Just run Soura! Fast!” Kiyomi said glancing back at them.

“Come back here you bitch! ……That’s it… today I am having fun with you two!! Oye _Rokichi_ , _Ray_ come here!!” He yelled and two more drunk looking men come out of shadows and started following the girls. Kiyomi was fast but Soura was not, after she has been working whole day in mansion and she was weak and did not know how to fight. They were running but did not know where they were going.

**Kiyomi’s POV**

‘I can fight single man easily but sensing 5 _reiastus,_ means fighting against all five of them was too much, after all I cannot leave Soura unprotected. I guess they are all _shinigamis_. They had black robes on after all. Should we run or should I fight before we get lost. If we get lost nobody would know where I am and if I released the reiastu I would also hurt Soura and other people around this area too. Also everybody would know that I am sneaking out and I don’t want to end my adventures yet, guess I would be doing lot of fighting today for real.’

I glanced back to make sure we have good lead on them but I did not see anybody and the reiastu was also not there. I concentrated so as to pin point their location so as to avoid ambush as my brother has told me but they beat me too it. All five of them came out of thin air and soon were standing completely surrounding us. “ _Yarodamo_ [men], don’t break these beauties too bad! We don’t wanna ruin the fun, now do we!! Try not to damage my prize much and I will let you have them after I am done with them, _ne_?” the ugly man yelled licking his lips dirtily giving out his ugly cruel intensions. They took their swords out.

“You Ugly Peasant!!” I yelled and gritted my teeth.

I knew I was out numbered but neither would have had I forgiven him nor had backed down and cried for help. I lunged towards the man whom I had kicked in the gut before and tried to knock his sword out of his hand. I dodged the sword attack and landed a kick on his this time. Soura also was dodging the attacks. She was in fact watching my back. I dint even notice when she picked up a wooden stick from somewhere and tried to defend her end. One of them, I noticed was not having _zanpakutou_ . I was fighting three men in front of me while avoiding getting any sword wounds.  I heard soura’s voice, “ Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!” A  yell filled with pain made me turn back and taking advantage of the distraction they grabbed my arms. The ugly man pinned me to wall and slowly started bringing his ugly face closer to mine. I was deciding how to get myself free and trying to shake my hand free, I thought of realseing my whole Reiastu onto him, I glared at him.

“Let go of me you low life! You are supposed to protect people in Seireitei!” somehow I broke my arm free and slapped him across the face.

“You bitch!” he raised his sword but suddenly got a side kicked.

A girl with tanned skin and purple hair had come out of thin air and kicked all of them into ground in a flash. It was amazing, she was powerful and did not even used her sword and took down five men in matter of seconds. That’s it, I thought, she is my idol….my thoughts were interrupted when she took both of us by our arms and in an instant we were standing on the tall wall I was pinned against moments ago.

I asked,” hey, where are you taking us, and who are you and how did you….” Before I could complete we were in a garden in front of a mansion. A beautiful garden like we had at my place. Our savior removed the cloth covering her face and my eyebrows shot up. ‘Wait, I have seen her before, oh….yes, she was in party that day’ and then realization hit me, she was none other than famous _shihoin Yoruichi_ , head of shihoin clan.

“Yo! So, princess is fond of sneaking out in night!! Interesting!”, she said. Soura collapsed behind me. “We need to take care of that wound before she loses all the blood.” She said to me. Soura indeed took a hit while we were fighting. She saved my life I thought, well in a way she saved me from that horrible hit. She started using _kido_ when an elderly man came from inside the mansion, he just pondered for a minute, took in the situation and called out for somebody I did not know. A women came, bowed respectfully to Yoruichi san and me and took Soura from Yoruichi san saying, “Please hand her over to me, we will take care of the wound” with that the women left and Yoruichi started to look at my arms and legs for injuries, none were there but small scratches were present on my hands.

“I did not know you could fight that well, Kiyomi-san”, Yoruichi said with a smirk on her face as if she was teasing me. I felt embarrassed and stared at ground.

“Please come, let us take this matter inside”, he said. We went into the mansion, it was smaller than ours but was good and traditional like ours, we walked through different hallways and finally came to the main hall. He motioned us to sit down and ordered servant for the tea.

A teenager boy came into hallway holding a book in his hand and ‘man!!….he looked pissed’. He glared at her as he said, “what are you doing here at this hour, you were cat!!”, then he noticed me and then man in front of him motioned him to come and sit beside him. He went to sit but took out his book and started reading after giving an uninterested look to us. ‘What was his problem?’ I thought.

“So, Kiyomi-san, please tell us, what were you doing outside the mansion at this hour and in those cloths of commoners. You should know better than roaming around without proper escort and that, it’s extremely dangers wandering around streets in the evening for girls, let alone for a girl from noble family. Why were there no guards with you, besides the servant girl? It’s good that Yoruichi-san found you and you were in the vicinity of our mansion.”

I knew this was coming. There was no escaping the situation. I could not have thought of perfect lie and anyways I would have got caught as Soura would be the one taking all the punishment and I would definitely have not allowed her to take all the blame. I never wanted that. So…….. here goes nothing.

“I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience sir and _Yoruichi-san_ , thank you for saving me and Soura, I am in your debt. We were actually, sneaking out as you said earlier in garden. I know I belong to a noble family but I too want to be more than just a princess. I have been training for years and want to use my skills and not just become some lady just sitting in mansion ordering around servants. I don’t want to be treated like a porcelain doll in glass palace. I want to have a real life.” I blurted all out staring at ground.

“ _Soka_ ” [“I see”]. He said. That made me shot my head up, ‘What!…. _soka_!! that’s it….wow!!’ He appeared to be thinking about what I said. The boy sitting beside him was looking at me as if I had somehow grown out two heads. Then he started reading his book again.

“Well I am impressed, I never knew you think like that. You are indeed trained the way you stood your ground against 5 full blown _shinigamis_ and never once cried for help nor released your _reiastu._ If trained in proper way, you would become an excellent shinigami and that’s for sure.” Yoruichi san said. That really brought my hopes up. I was feeling good and enthusiastic. The maid came with tea and served us all. I was feeling good with each seep.

“But Yoruichi-san, her family members think differently, also there has never been a female fujiwara _shinigami_ member in _Gotei_ 13\. And as matter of fact her mother and other relatives are looking for suitor for her.” That was true. Whoever that man was, he was speaking the truth which made my blood boil but I kept my composure and my straight face as I had always been told to keep.

There was polite knock on the door covered in rice paper. The servant came and said, “Master Kuchiki-sama, the girl has regained conciseness and the wound has been healed. She is just too tired.”

Then it struck me, this man was indeed, the head of the kuchiki clan and captain of 6th squad of _gotei_ 13\. “Make sure that she eats or drinks something if needed and bring her here.” He said.

“ _Hai_ , Master Kuchiki-sama”.

“So, She needs to take the blame of sneaking you out Kiyomi-san! I don’t see any way out for you or else there is going to be trouble in your clan, I hope you understand how delicate the situation could get” he said.

 

 

I snapped my head up to him and give him ‘never in million years’ face but in fraction of seconds gained my composure back. “I am sorry but I cannot do that, Kuchiki Taichou. With all due respect, she is not only the servant but also my friend, I would never do it to her and also she saved me from getting the wound before Yoruichi-san came. Otherwise I would be the one receiving that wound and taking the blame.”

“Kiyomi-san, you are truly good person and we are going to talk to your father about what you told earlier today. So take your friend and go home the way you came, your secret is safe with us. We would see what is to be done with your problem.” He said. It was very hard to believe what he was saying, I did not react at all, but he was dead serious. “He just wanted to hear your thoughts! Well, we would not want getting such a talent wasted now, would we?” Yoruichi-san said.

_Knock.. knock_

There was a polite knock on door again; “enter” said the kuchiki-san. Soura came out and bowed very low respectfully and said, “Thank you very much for saving lady kiyomi sama and thank you for taking care of me. Please let lady kiyomi-sama to be escorted Fujiwara Mansion, it was my mistake that we got caught in that situation.”

“Very brave! Child! Stand straight. Nobody is taking any blame.” Kuchiki sama said. Soura straighten her back but her gaze was down to ground next to her feet. Kuchiki-sama looked at me and said, “That’s very loyal friend you have there, Kiyomi-san. Let’s get you home now, shall w…”

The boy who seemed uninterested all along was suddenly looking at Soura with surprised look and exclaimed,

“Hisana!”

“Hisana! Isn’t that your name? You know how many times I visited that disgusting place because of you!”

“Now give me back that bracelet right now!”

Soura dint not say anything just stood there, waiting for her judgment to be passed upon, what surprising was he was calling her ‘Hisana’, ‘why?, I thought.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We were escorted back to fujiwara mansion and sneaked in as we had come out. I reached my room, took a quick bath and changed into comfy long baggy white T-shirt I had Nii san bought me and went to bed. It was getting very late in night but there was much on my mind, I just could not sleep.

=============   FLASHBACK   ======================

“Now give me back that bracelet right now!”

Soura dint not say anything just stood there, waiting for her judgment to be passed upon, what surprising was he was calling her ‘hisana’, ‘why?’  I thought.

I got up and stood in front of him so as to cover Soura behind me, “Please,…..kuchiki-san,….[ I did not know his name]..you must have mistook her for somebody else or even if not and she had in fact taken anything from you I would return it to you or I would simply pay for what she has done. But for now, we would like to head back, it is really getting late plus she is not well. I hope I am not offending you.” I said.

Elder Kuchiki seemed to get the idea. He stopped young one and told his subordinates to escort us safely, we were indeed accompanied by four weird robed persons having _katanas_ to their waists and Yoruichi-san. I was confused about the Soura matter but kept quiet mentally putting it in to-do-list of next day.

When we reached the garden and the come out of the tunnel in front of the small get away makeshift door, Soura paused and looked guilty. She said she had a secret to tell me about and that her real name was ‘hisana’, as the Kuchiki boy has called her before. She said he had a past she did not like to share with that’s why she changed her name before getting selected as a maid in our house hold.

“Kiyomi sama I have been searching for my long lost sister for years, you know that already, her name is ‘Rukiya’. Whatever Kuchiki sama said was related to her. I will tell you the details tomorrow. I am sorry about hiding my real identity but I was nobody back then and I am still nobody now, so I thought that it would not matter anyways. I don’t want to lose your friendship, Kiyomi sama.” Soura said in soft and guilty voice. I just put my hand on her mouth so she would stop apologizing. ‘Poor girl!’

“Hey! That’s ok Soura, …I mean…Hisa....Hisana……I understand everybody has their demons, but it’s bad when they are found by others. Just be safe who you are dealing with Hisana”.

There was an awkward silence.

“Kiyomi-sama, please call me ‘Soura’ as you always do. Please I have always been Soura to you and I would always be Soura. I am sorry again. Please I promise I will tell you everything. I just didn’t want to hurt you, for you are my only friend and still I ended up having to hurt you, kiyomi sama. I am sorry”.

A lone tear trailed down her small pale chick from her left eye. I felt bad for her.

“I said that’s ok. Soura.” I took her hand and we went inside the makeshift door.

====================END OF FLASHBACK=====================

Thinking about what happened today and how fateful or un-fateful the day was I fell asleep sometime after I had laid my back on my bed.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bright sunlight warming my face earned a grunt from me, I got up and sitting on bed, rubbing by eyes. I saw Soura pulling the curtains of the window and hence waking me up. I sure slept in for long. It was late. I was late for morning lessons.

“kiyomi-sama,…I am sorr….” She started again but I cut her off. ‘Always saying sorry for everything!’

 “Soura, why did not you wake me up like always? I am late for my morning lessons.”

“Kiyomi-sama, the morning lessons have been canceled. You are summoned by elders and master fujiwara-sama in the _meeting room_ in half hour. A…and about yesterday….it would be….…kiyomi-sama………I am ..”

“Soura……[I sighed in defeat, I could not even yell at her, she was so sweet]…..you don’t need to apologize”

“But…”

“We will be talking about after I come back”

“ _Hai_ [means ‘yes’ when taking orders], Kiyomi sama, breakfast would be served in the meeting.”

With that Soura helped me get ready and I went to meeting room not knowing what was to come.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I reached the room I knocked on door and there was servant escorting me inside. I bowed respectfully and greeted everybody body and I was seated beside my father. There were 3 other people whom I vaguely recognized as the clan elders. I felt like I was been interviewed as my father went to sit beside my mother and hence everybody was sitting on chairs opposite to me.

Second in row asked me “How are you, kiyomi-san?”,

“I am fine sir, I hope you all are doing fine”, I smiled awkwardly looking at all of them.

“kiyomi-dono, first of all we are gathered here today to discuss about the kind of education you should receive in next future and the new suitors. We have some photos, we would like you to see and second, we have come to conclusion that the knowledge you have acquired in your morning tuitions about our tradition and history of the clan, well you have been doing great and have been assessed to be very good at it. As far as training with your _reiastu_ , you have been doing excellent in that too.” The third person spoke, “However, you also have been taking some training to gain fighting abilities, and we would like to know why and how would be they useful, kiyomi-dono?”

“Well I have learned about our tradition and history, it was very interesting. I learned controlling the _reiastu_ form father. And I did the training so that I would be able to do the self-defense if situation ever arose.”

“Do you really have this much interest in gaining fighting skills and sword abilities?”

“Yes, sir, I would like to learn more.”

“But generally the duty of lady of the clan is to give the clan their much required heir and raise them to be best”

“With all due respect sir, I can be lady of the clan as well as the warrior as lady Yoruichi-san. I am not afraid of battles and I would like to be a _shinigami_ and protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

Mother stood from her chair, sending me the death glare, she excused herself and father smiled and encouraged me softly as he gave me thumbs up. I knew my mother’s view. She wanted me to be safe and protected. Our clan has been bestowed with abundant reiastu but never once in our ‘so long and well documented history’ of our clan had there been a female shinigami. Only present were the legends, which said that they would be born once in few hundred centuries, would have most powerful and mysterious _zanpakutou_ but their power would also be born with curse of being the one who would face horrible but glorious death in battle. She was afraid that I would die in battle. But they were only legends, right?

“Well, kiyomi-san”, the first one spoke up now as the second one gave a sigh in tension, “As you have studied our history, you know that there have never been a female _shinigami_ before in our clan, so we would have to discuss the matter among all other elders and other noble clan about the complexities and we would be telling you the decisions.”

“Hai [means ‘ok’ when talking to people of same status], _arigato_ gosaimasu [thank you].” With that I left the room heading towards my room. My stomach was in pain as in all the anxiety of the question and answer session, I did not take a single bite of my breakfast. I thought of Soura again and went to kitchen instead.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**After few weeks**

It’s been two weeks since the meeting with the elders, my days were long and boring, only positive thing for me was morning lessons were not there. I spent my time training with dummy in the training ground, reading books in my study, wandering around in our garden, practicing music and painting. It was good to have hobbies like painting and singing as I had lot of time to do nothing with. Soura has become distant since that incident. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the girl, she did all her work with all honesty and she still accompanied me when I was painting or singing. She definitely liked me singing. She had been there all the time what I spent singing since she became my friend several years ago.

I was not talkative. Expressing through music and paintings was enough for me. I was not much of people person; I tried not being rude but yet avoided small talks. I was not popular with girls because I never went to their tea parties as I hated their gossiping and fan-girling, but I sure had some friend whom I frequently invited over. That was all my friend circle beyond Soura.

 

 

But lately Yoruichi-san had started visiting me, though they were never pre informed…….she just used to barge in and I was sure that she liked doing that. She was form a noble clan too but she was far different than those girls with other noble families, talking all high and mighty. She was very charming and vigilant. I had taken liking to her. We used to talk, used to have a tea together in our garden; she told me about fights and told me her experiences in battles while working for _Gotei_ 13\. We even sparred for a while once. She has become my new friend. I showed her my paintings; she gifted me a violin after listening me singing and playing music on my old violin.

\-------------- today----

I was sitting on chair under the _sakura_ tree in our garden and was reading book about the flow of the spiritual pressure and particles in the soul. Sun was low on horizon; it was soon going to get chilly. I liked to watch setting sun. It is clam and beautiful, I thought of playing some piano and was about to get up when Yoruichi-san appeared out of thin air in front of me and handed me something and disappeared again. I was used to her sudden appearances by now, though first few times it nearly gave me heart attack. I looked down at the item she handed me over abruptly and wondered why she gave me a hair-band. In few minutes she came back, laughing her head off, sat on chair near mine, “Yo! Kiyomi-san, how are you?”

“Yoruichi-san, why you gave me….”

“Damn you! Give it back to me right now. I have caught you now, you damn cat!!”

I was suddenly cut off by younger kuchiki; I had met at the kuchiki mansion that day. He looked pissed and out of breath. His hair was down, _kenseikan_ was missing. He had _shinnai_ [wooden practice sword used in kendo] in right hand and had what appeared to be training clothes on.

Yoruichi-san started laughing again. She pointed to me. I didn’t understand, he looked at me and suddenly calmed down. Then his face went all red. He stared at my hand and said, “fujiwara-san, please give me the hair band.” I handed over it to him. He gave a nod as to say ‘ I am off’ and  Yoruichi-san started shooing him off.

“kuchiki-san, Please wait. This is your first time visiting our mansion. Please let us all have tea together.” I thought he would protest but gave a curt nod. I asked the servant to come and order for tea and snacks. We were having tea, I and Yoruichi-san were talking about the fight she had told me few weeks back and asked my opinion about it. I answered positively. The kuchiki-san was not talking but was keenly listening to talk.

“Kiyomi-san what about that painting, have you completed it yet?” Yoruichi-san asked smirking.

“Painting! You do painting?” Kuchiki-san asked.

I nodded to him. “I have it all done and ready. Do want to see it, Yoruichi-san?” I asked. She nodded and I asked them to follow me to the room where I keep all my paintings. It was huge room with a lot of paintings carefully placed in frames hanging onto the wall and some were on stand, some were in rolled sheets. All paints and brushes and the Room had its own peculiar smell in it, I liked the way it smelled, the colors and canvas. We were in hallway; my father came from opposite direction on his way to garden.

“Oh! My dear kiyomi-san! I was on my way to garden to see you!! I have news to tell! Oh! Hello there, you have made new friends my dear!” father said smiling slightly but warmly.

Yoruichi-san bowed to my father introducing herself and so did kuchiki-san.

“It is nice to meet you young ones!! Why don’t we have dinner together!!”

“Fujiwara-san, I am sorry but I have some _gotei_ work to take care of this evening and we were just visiting kiyomi-san for tea and small talk but we would definitely plan for dinner next time. Thank you.”

“Ok then. Now I guess, I will live you guys alone. Have good time. See you soon Yoruichi-san and kuchiki-kun”

With that father went away and we headed to the room of the paintings. We entered the room and Kuchiki san stopped abruptly and stood there in doorway, “Magnificent!! You are very good kiyomi-san!!”, kuchiki-san said.

To say that ‘I was shocked’ was an understatement. He just addressed me by my first name and it seemed that he did it unintentionally because he just was engrossed in watching all the paintings. He was scanning all of them very keenly. I suddenly felt self-conscious. I showed Yoruichi-san the painting she was asking about and she praised me. A hell butterfly came through window and fluttered its wings.

“Well, kiyomi-san, looks like I have to go!! Find your way back home, little byakuya!!” with that she gave a hearty laugh and disappeared.

His eyebrows twitched at the nickname.

“You dam….” He said under his breath, glaring in her direction. I looked at him with bog eyes, he noticed me and his face softened.

“Oh _sumimasen_ [small apology] fujiwara-san, it’s just that she likes to embarrass me. It’s so frustrating!!” he said furrowing his dark brows and closing those slate gray orbs.

“Don’t get bothered kuchiki-san. I am sure she is doing with good motive behind it.” I said smiling slightly like my father does every time he speaks.

He gave me puzzled look as If to say ‘have you lost your mind.’

“Kuchiki-san, if we react or get angry towards the one who is teasing or chiding us then they enjoy it even more, as their purpose to stir your composure has succeeded. If you don’t react and face it calmly then she won’t enjoy it that much, don’t you think! In my opinion, it’s just her way of telling, that one should control their anger and feelings in embarrassing situations.” I said in soft voice trying not to sound offending. His expression relaxed so did his eyes.

“fujiwara-san, my grandfather said that day that you are ery matured and wise for your age. He is right. It was definitely nice meeting you. Well I have to go now. See you soon”. He nodded and left.

That was first time I spoke to kuchiki-san. That day I learned that his name was Byakuya. I was shocked when he called my first name but ‘I liked the way it sounded from his lips! Wait! What!! I must be angry that he said that!! I must go and play some piano and clear my head. Geez!!’

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After that Yoruichi-san kept visiting and sometimes Kuchiki-san came too. I still missed Soura as she still acted little distant. I had asked Kuchiki-san about the bracelet he was supposed to retrieve from Soura but he avoided the topic saying the matter is taken care of. Soura did not say anything either.

It’s been more than a **month** since the meeting with the clan elders. Yoruichi-san came for friendly spar also my brother was there who used to spar with me and train me when he used to come home and he had time. He was handling secret missions for _gotei_ 13 and was soon to be promoted to royal guards. His powers were impressive so was his personality. He was smart, good looking and intelligent, I was proud of my brother. He taught me any things about fighting and _kendo_. He was captain of fifth division of _gotei 13_ and head of the clan. My father had been head of the guards for central 46 over years now.

I was playing piano at my music room on the top floor just beside my bedroom, Soura came and told me that I have been summoned to the main hall by father and mother. Soura helped me get ready and put a formal outfit, of course the traditional Fujiwara clan kimono and my _kenseikan_. We went to main hall. Soura knocked declaring my presence and opened the wooden doors. I was motioned to enter and sit beside my father. There were many people in room along with the three elders who were at the meeting that day. I was looking at my hand in my lap but I had recognized their _reiastu_. After all I was not just good at hiding my _reiastu_ but also detecting others though it has been suppressed to good level. That was my little secret, only my father knew about at that moment.

“Gentlemen, this is my daughter!!”

I bowed “Hello, I am Fujiwara Kiyomi, nice to see you all”

They gave nod and introduced themselves one by one. I already knew the three elders, there was kind and pale looking man with gentle smile on his face who introduced himself as head of the Ukitake clan, sitting near him, there was a man with straw hat and wired pink _kimono_ on…. ‘I mean, seriously! What man wears a pink kimono with floral print on it’ I thought…. ‘This is going to be interesting meeting’, he had strong _reiastu_ though, he was from Kyouraku clan, both were the captains in _gotei 13._ Elder kuchiki- san was there along with Yoruichi-san who winked me and smirked at me when I looked at her they were also captains. ‘Amazing!!’ I thought. Three more people were there who introduced themselves as clan leaders I found uninteresting as they were not _shinigamis_ but related to central 46.

“Kiyomi-san, we have decided to give you a chance to become _shinigami.”_

One of the elders said. I was jumping up and down form happiness in my mind but kept my composure in front of them and nodded. Though my eyes gave it away, Yoruichi-san smirked happily and Ukitake-san gave me soft smile and pink kimono-san gave me thumbs up while kuchiki-san just gave a small unnoticeable nod. Father patted my head. I was happy………very happy.

“ **However** , _[there goes my happiness, I thought]_ you would not be enrolled into the _Shino_ academy as you already have acquired many skills beforehand. You would be having private tutors for all four subjects of _shinigami_ fighting skills. As far as history of _Gotei_ 13 and soul society is concerned Kuchiki household, being keeper of all historical evidences, have offered assistance willingly. After getting basic knowledge Ukitake-san and Kyouraku-san would guide you for the materialization of your _zanpakutou._ Till then you would be trained by Yoruichi-san and her subordinates either in fujiwara training grounds or in Shihouin training grounds”

‘There goes my chance of being in Seireitei, I was still confined to the Mansion grounds’ I thought, ‘my fate is never going to change, I would be stuck in the noble household for eternity. I want to see normal people and be with them and have a normal life, God dam it!!’ I was still keeping my straight face and my emotional stress, happiness a moment ago and sadness they had made me experienced remained locked away in my mind. But I was clenching my hands, which I had put in my lap. It was good that my scarf had them covered, else it would have been considered offending! ‘I could not get that habit removed!’

“So, Kiyomi-san, training starts tomorrow and I promise it won’t be easy.” Yoruichi-san said.

With that the clan elders, my father and Kuchiki-san along with the three members form central 46 started giving me suggestions and one of the elders handed me a stack of paper and told me to go through for it would be the entire course of actions and procedures and whatnot, I would be going under. Then they started discussing among themselves. I was looking at the papers. I soon found myself surrounded by Yoruichi-san, Ukitake-san and Kyouraku-san.

“We met your tutors and trainers, Kiyomi-san! They said you are very intelligent and artistic, it’s going to be very nice to have beautiful friend like you. I am captain of the 13th  squad. I look forward to see you in training grounds and also I would like to see the paintings Yoruichi-san mentioned!!!” Ukitake-san said and smiled kindly. I blushed and nodded.

“My, my Jushiro, you just made her blush!! You are already decreasing my chances here my friend! Pretty lady, I am captain of squad 8 and we are going get along just fine, I am sure of it.” That made me blush even darker.

“Stop your chiding Kyouraku! Kiyomi-san, I will be here at 7 in morning! Be ready. Your life is about to change. I promise” Yoruichi-san said. “Don’t worry; we are not going to train in fujiwara training grounds.” She whispered for only four of us to hear and gave me a wink.

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	2. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiyomi gets chance to improve her skills an become shinigami. She gets to make new friends, her life changes.  
> In all this, she finds out that she had developed feelings for special some one. Byakuya starts falling for Kiyomi.  
> She takes an exam where she fights with Shiba Kaien.   
> Byakuya is Jealous of Urahara but he should be more careful and aware of Ukitake :P
> 
>  
> 
> So, is this guy gonna return her feelings! Does she know how he feels too! They really start falling for each other but life is never that simple, now is it?

Kiyomi’s life did really change after that meeting just as Yoruichi-san had said it would. She spent her morning hours with Yoruichi-san training with her. She was training Kiyomi for _‘Hakuda’_ which is an unarmed fighting technique that makes use of one’s body in fight and _‘hoho’_   which is technique of using high speed fighting movements based on art of _shunpo_. She knew kiyomi’s desire of being able to live and breathe outside the noble household. So instead of training grounds of noble household, Yoruichi san used to train kiyomi in squad 2 grounds and barracks. Kiyomi has become familiar to squad 2 area.

Kiyomi met and befriended to two more people while in the squad 2. One was Kisuke Urahara, a blond, laid back, easy-go-lucky but extremely intelligent and mysterious person, who also helped her train. He was in charge of kido and Zanjutsu training. Soon kiyomi came to find out that this man was indeed powerful and he was training her for _‘hado’_ and _‘bakudo’_. Second was this girl, named Soi fon, she was sharp, fast, cold, calculated and stuck up. Soura accompanied her everywhere. Things between Kiyomi and Soura were good now. Soura was her older self again which made Kiyomi relaxed.

Kiyomi’s afternoon was spent in Kuchiki manor, inside the huge library, studying history and other theoretical subjects. She was mostly greeted and escorted by the head butler, Junichi. Hardly had she come in contact with elder kuchiki-san. Often she was met with younger Kuchiki-san, who gave her updates at academy. He was intelligent and smart boy. They soon became good friends. They talked for hours, unlike their usual self. They had taken quite a liking to each other. It seemed they were ready to become more than just friends. Servants in Kuchiki mansion and Soura who always was with Kiyomi had noticed their behavior changing; they would usually not talk to anybody else, but would spne hours talking with each other.

\-----------------------

Today, Kiyomi was training with Yoruichi-san and Soi fon. Yoruichi-san was overpowering them both. Soi fon suddenly tripped over loose rocks and got in Kiyomi’s way which made her fall abruptly and she broke her ankle. Rocks also did number on her arm giving it a big scratch and Soi fon broke her nose. That ended the training; soon a squad 4 member was called. Though injuries were there, both kiyomi and Yoruichi were laughing. While Soi fon felt embarrassed for her actions.

**Kiyomi’s POV**

“Soi fon, loosen up a little, will ya!”, Yoruichi-san said.

I nodded and smiled at soi fon, “Please Soi Fon-san, don’t worry, I am fine! Plus in battles there would be bigger injuries right! It’s nothing, we will start training soon.” I assured her.

I told Yoruichi-san to send a message that I would be missing the history lesson at kuchiki mansion today.

“On second thought, I should send the message”

“Yeah, just give the note to that guy over there. He would go to the Kuchiki manor”

“Thank you, Yoruichi san”, ‘I would not be able to see Kuchiki san san today! I would miss talking to him! He is smart, intelligent and good looking. He is working hard and soon would become a shinigami as he would be graduation in a Year. May be I can ask him to come here! No! That would not be appropriate! Only if I would have been enrolled in the academy, I could have studied and sparred with him. It would have been nice to have him as a classmate, wouldn’t it! May be I am thinking too much about him.’ Those thoughts made me blush slightly while I was writing the note.

“Yo! Why are you smiling like that! I see! Is it Kisuke who made you blush?” Yoruichi san said suddenly in my ear.

“What? He is not even here!” I said blushing even darker that I got caught like that.

“Orra! Look he is standing right there!” He appeared out of nowhere. ‘Why!!! She was framing me! I was deep in my own thoughts and she sensed his Reiastu and just took her chance to say that!’

“ _Sumimasen_ , did I startle you?” He said with all too innocent face.

“Yoruichi san, this is not fair!” I said with fake hurt face.

“Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! _Sore_ _Jaa_ , [C’mon], let’s get you inside and treat that wound!” She said lifting me up and carrying inside the barracks.

\---------------------

My wounds were treated and I was given a very comfortable place to sit and read my book. But soon, Soi fon, Kisuke kun and Yoruichi san completed their work and came to the room I was resting in, I enjoyed their company. ‘They make me laugh more than I have in my whole life.’ I used to think. Yoruichi san was called for something and she went to her office which happened to be next to the room me, Kisuke kun and Soi fon san were sitting in.

Kisuke kun was telling us about his recent invention and the one that went wrong and caused his room smell like a rotten egg and we were laughing when I saw a very familiar face and I felt my lips forming a smile before I could knew it,…………… ‘I liked that he came, but this is not good if Yoruichi san is planning on making fun of him……He does have temper…but it suits him!!!  I was still smiling??’

“Yo! Kiyomi, little Byakuya has come to see you; I guess he has come to confess his feelings for you. Now, Byakuya, c’mon say it, I knew you had hots for Kiyomi.” I could feel blood running to my face and a blush started appearing, I knew everybody would have noticed by now. This was the disadvantage for letting my walls down around these three. They are really free but then I can no longer hid my emotions if I am with these three, especially Yoruichi san!’

 

**Byakuay’s POV**

‘I was in the academy, in advanced class, we just have two sessions today, I would be going home early, that means I can see kiyomi-san early. Ohh!! I should call her fujiwara-san, or I may end up calling her by her first name unknowingly, last thing I want is to offend her. I don’t like to talk to people otherwise, but I like …..no……I love talking to her. It’s very easy to talk to her. She is very clever. Only if she would have been in this academy, I would have somebody to talk to here. It’s so boring in here.’

‘This people are careless, they don’t have any knowledge and they just can’t stop talking all nonsense. I have to ask her about that story she told me about her clan leaders. It’s amazing that she knows all the details. Her voice is so beautiful. Her hands are beautiful. When she was giving me book yesterday, I saw her long slender fingers wrapper around the golden bookmark. It looked so beautiful that I wanted to hold her hand in mine. Oh! This is getting nowhere! I should invite her to dinner; I should ask grandfather about it. After all I just get few minutes to talk to her after school ends, that too I use _shunpo_ , if not I don’t get to talk to her at all.’

_Sigh_

‘But today, I am going early. I should by some gift for her or maybe I can ask her to train with me for _zanjutsu_ [sword fighting technique for _Zanpakutou_ ]. She is not like the other noble girls nor she is like those who keep tailing me me. She is really amazing. But why I like to spend time with her, I like being alone anyways. I have, never before this, for once in my life felt the anxiety for seeing a person. Huh! I am going mad.’ With that bell rang than that was end of school for the day!

“Finally!”

I ran home doing fastest shunpo I could, hoping to spend afternoon with HER and found a member from 2nd squad in front of gates of mansion. He was about to leave after talking to butler when I stopped him. He bowed,

“Kuchiki-sama, I have come to report that lady kiyomi fujiwara sama would not be able to come today.” and handed over me a paper. I nodded giving him permission to leave.

Paper was indeed form fujiwara-san, ‘Kuchiki-san, my leg has been injured while training so I would not be able to come for 2 days. I would resume study after that. - Kiyomi fujiwara’. The Fujiwara clan mark was on the paper.

I don’t know what happened to me and what made my hands move as if they had mind of their own but the paper was brought to my nose and I smelled it. Paper smelled like warm vanilla. ‘It smells vanilla when I am around her; I have caught traces of smell of vanilla in the air when I am sitting beside her, when she tells me to peep into book mentioning the little details. This paper, her letter smells like her.’ I realized that Junichi was indeed watching me. I cleared throat and I kept HER letter in my robe.

I got worried and thought of visiting her but ‘Would it look awkward? Me visiting her? Is it not only natural that I go visit her as she is my friend and the note was meant to be for my grandfather anyways! Che! I am going and that’s that.’ I told Junichi, the butler to tell the grandfather that Fujiwara san was injured and would not come to the mansion and that ‘I am going to visit fujiwara-san in 2 squad barracks’ and left the mansion.

\------------

“Yo, Little byakuya has come to visit me. What a pleasant surprise!!”

I got pissed, I knew this was coming but I remembered what fujiwara-san told me that day, ‘She was reason I came here’. I closed my eyes and formed a resolve to change the approach towards her. ‘Not annoyance but negligence. I drank down my anger or I at least tried. Huh!! So much for the teasing!!’

“Yoruichi Shihouin, I have come to visit fujiwara-san, I want to see her.” I said coldly but calmly. Yoruichi smirked but dint say anything and motioned me to follow.

Fujiwara-san was laughing at something a blond man was saying, he had very innocent expressions on his face but he somehow seems suspicious to me. Soi fon was sitting there too. She was glaring at the blond man.

“Yo! Kiyomi, little Byakuya has come to see you; I guess he has come to confess his feelings for you. Now, Byakuya, c’mon say it, I knew you had hots for kiyomi.”

Yoruichi said, I stopped dead in the tracks, I looked at fujiwara san and her smiling face turned into bright red, her eyes went wide size of dinner plates just for second before she straightened her face to calm expressions. I was sure my face was red as well and my heart felt like it would explode in my chest. Dam that cat!! Her reaction changed in matter of seconds and she calmed down regaining her composure which made me regain my senses as well.

“Fujiwara san, I got the note you sent, just came to see how your injuries were. I was planning on returning your book today as I had school for only two morning sessions. I thought I could ask you about the unfinished story you were telling me the other day and the painting you mentioned yesterday, but suddenly got the note so thought I could visit to see you.” I blurted all out in one go. ‘Why was I explaining all this? I could visit her without reason, right?’

“That’s very kind of you, Kuchiki-san. Please come over for dinner today so I could show you the painting and as for the story I would like to tell you now or at the time of dinner whenever you want.” She said. She was very calm. I thought for minute there, she could have felt offensive but she invited me over. That’s a good sign.

“So, Byakuya, I got kiyomi convinced to play violin after lunch. Have lunch with us and you can hear her play. That would make you love her even more” I was boiling with anger but kept my eye closed and thought of kiyomi-san….un....fujiwara san.

“I see….you are growing up little Byakuya…good! But you ain’t no fun anymore. Oi Kisuke! C’mon! You and Soi fon have to deliver these things to squad one and squad 10. I am going to the mansion and you two …come back to barracks before lunch time, we are all having lunch together. Byakuya, don’t do anything pervy to my Kiyomi while we are gone, _kay_!” with that she left laughing her head off and I kept my eyes closed until I here all footsteps fed. ‘Dam cat!!’

I opened my eyes and found Kiyomi san was smiling at me. I retuned the gesture or at least tried to.

“Kuchiki san, I see you have taken into consideration my opinion about Yoruichi-san’s teasing.”

“Yes, it’s quite difficult at the moment, but I will try to avoid reacting as much as possible”. I said and she gave me another smile and her face softened, she looked beautiful. I just wanted to keep looking at her face.

Knock….. knock

“Enter” we both said in unison and smiled at each other!

Hisana came in bowed and gave fujiwara-san a violin and book. She stood there and asked if anything else is needed. When fujiwara-san shook her head gently, looking at book she turned to leave.

“Soura, wait!” My eyebrow twitched at the name. I did not know why she has changed her name. Was she lying to fujiwara-san? Was she manipulating or something?

“Hai, Kiyomi sama” Hisana said and turned back on her feet.

“Why are you calling Fujiwara-san by her first name, Hisana? A commoner that too a servant should not disrespect their master” I was already angry due recent events and with her presence had brought back the memories of the stolen bracelet and that she had disrespected Fujiwara-san.

She was staring at the ground near her feet since the moment she came in and now she cringed at my question.

“ _Daijobu_ [it’s all right]…...Kuchiki san! As I have said earlier Soura is not just a maid but she is my friend too, we have been friends for many years, I know her well, she does not mean ant disrespect! She has saved my life more than once, I trust her and I have asked her to me Kiyomi, still she keeps adding honorifics after my name. It’s not her fault that she is addressing me like that. I understand that in noble families it is considered as an offense but please forgive her and just keep this little secrete between us for now”. Her words were soft like her eyes when she was looking as me and she stole a glance at embarrassed and scared at Hisana.

“Soura, explain Kuchiki san how you lost that bracelet and how the name got changed. I think he deserves an explanation.” He asked her gently as if to sooth her troubled mind.

“Hai, Kiyomi sama” she said with hesitation in her voice.

“Kuchiki sama, when I found the bracelet on ground I could sense a strange reiastu coming from it. I got scared and stopped near it not knowing what to do. We were not running away from you but I had previously stolen water from a shop and the shopkeeper was pursuing me and my little sister, Rukia. By the time figured out the reiastu was indeed coming from the bracelet I instinctively picked it up and ran. I just wanted to lose the tail and wanted to keep my sister safe so I had decided to leave her in the shadows so I could return the bracelet and would come back for my sister. I knew it was not an ordinary item but something powerful. I did not have enough energy to fight all people. I knew keeping bracelet was bad idea as we would not stand its reiastu and it would also attract hollows and unwanted attention. Rukia was in my arms as I was running, the moment Rukia’s hand touched it, bracelet started glowing and soon turned to dust. Many people around collapsed at that moment, I did not understand what had happened! I also felt hard to breath, I stopped to figure out what was going on but Rukia started crying and her stomach growled. I took that opportunity to steal the bread loafs from collapsed shop keeper nearby and ran away.”

“Is it why you found out Kuchiki-mansion and wanted to serve there? Where is your sister now?”

“After that she never cried, never slept, just kept asking for food, she used to get easily exhausted and I kept stealing food. One day I kept her in shadows of a left-alone house and went to steal food. But the shopkeeper caught me and started beating me badly; a shinigami saved me and bought food for me. I came back for her only to find her gone. I lost her sir; I have as good as abandoned her in most horrible place for child to survive. I have been looking for her since. I kept looking for her in lower districts of rukongai, one day I came across hollow, some people saved me and took in, they were of a travelling tribe. They also helped me looking for her but after many unsuccessful trials they finally told me they were going to _seireitei_ , looking for jobs as servants. So, I came with them to Kuchiki mansion.”

She sighed and looked at Fujiwara san before continuing.

“I got rejected there then I kept improving and finally got job here in Fujiwara Mansion. When they found me in Rukongai, I was sprawled on ground all beaten up.  I was unconscious for whole week and when woke up I could not speak and kept to myself. The couple who took me in as daughter, they gave me name ‘Soura’ in the memory of their lost child and treated me as their own. As ‘Hisana’ I could not achieve anything, even lost my own sister but as ‘Soura’ I got job, I got friend as beautiful, kind and intelligent as kiyomi-sama that’s why I started to like the name Soura.” Her voice was shaky, she looked ready to cry. I was glancing at her occasionally when she was telling all those things, but kept my cool and kept my eyes closed most of the time. Finally when she finished, I gave a sigh. Fujiwara san looked at me worriedly.

“That bracelet belonged to my great grandmother, it was her reiastu in it, and it was charm or rather talisman, that when the innocent were in trouble it would activate granting the current owner the power. It was mine to keep because it was supposed to be owned by my bride or next female head of the clan. But it got knocked out of my pocket while I was doing _shunpo_ getting back at home and it was found by her before I could get there, now lost to dust forever. I don’t know how it got activated, as the the owner of that talisman was me. It was one of the family heirlooms supposed to be given to my future life partner or next female clan leader whoever comes first.” I told Fujiwara san.

“I am very sorry for what happened” Fujiwara san said in apologetic voice, ‘it is not your fault kiyomi san!’ I thought.

 

“Nobody can do anything about it.” I said, more to myself and looked at Hisana to dismiss her, “Now, you may leave I want to talk to kiyomi-san.” She bowed low and left at that instant. My heart sank to my stomach, just what I never wanted to do and I finally ended up doing the same…

“Fujiwara-san! Please don’t feel offended. I was …” I was cut off by her words, she was shaking her head gently to say ‘no’, her hair followed the small slow shaky movements to rhyme with her own, what a beautiful sight!

“It’s ok Kuchiki-san, you may call me kiyomi. Yoruichi-san, soi fon-san and kisuke-kun all call me by my first name, I don’t mind, after all we are all friends.” She said. I was happy she told me to call her by first name but as the same time I felt anger I don’t know why? Why would that Soi fon and that Urahara Kisuke get to call her by her first name…even before me? And Why was she calling him Kisuke-kun… she indeed was laughing at something he said when I came in. What did he said that make her laugh like that? Well, we are close friends too; I would like her addressing me like that too!’

“Then I would like you to call me Byakuya, Kiyomi-san. Kuchiki-san refers my grandfather anyway.” She nodded and that’s how we came to first name basis. ‘That happiness was soon ruined by Yoruichi walking in on our conversation, no manners!’

“Yo Byaboy!!….C’mon, we are going for lunch.” Yoruichi came and picked up kiyomi-san……yes…..kiyomi-san……now no need to call her Fujiwara-san…..Kiyomi-san just suited her best..…she was indeed beautiful…...wait! What am I thinking at this moment…? What is that cat doing to her now? She picked up Kiyomi-san bridal style, smirked at me and I glared at her, “Jealous byakkoo? You wanted to pick her up, didn’t you? Tough luck!!” She smirked at me and flash-stepped towards the mansion, I followed her there. ‘I will get back at you some day! You were Cat!’

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We had nice lunch. Though I was kind of upset that Kiyomi-san was actually giving more attention to Urahara and what he was saying. He and Yoruichi were babbling and I kept my eyes closed most of the time, listening to the sound of Kiyomi san’s voice whenever she spoke to reply them. She as promised played violin after lunch and that was really beautiful composition. Yoruichi then carried her to fujiwara mansion after that I went home. What a day!!

That evening I went to Fujiwara mansion, Hisana took me to kiyomi-san’s room. We talked about different topics, she told that unfinished story, we had dinner together, her parents were not there but her brother was present, he was nice person to talk to and she showed me her recent painting. It was amazing. The forest painted in sheet was as good as real, foggy and misty woods and a single bright blue butterfly in midst of all long tree trunks, alone, sitting on a grass straw, as if looking for flower or bud. There were no flowers at all. The Painting seemed sad, but it was beautiful. I kept looking at painting for what felt like hours, I just could not take my eyes off that butterfly.

Finally when we went to balcony after watching paintings and all I realized that it was getting late at night. ‘Time sure flies by’ I thought. I bid her good night and went home.

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**On the Day after 3 and half Years after that**

**Kiyomi’s POV**

My days were fast and exhaustive. I really liked my schedule; I had really become good at _shunpo_ and also _hakuda_ and _hoho_. My _kido_ skills were exceptional, as I already had good _reiastu_ but my sword skills were not that good. I was really worried about the exam I was about to face.

It was either Ukitake-san or Kyouraku-san’s squad member whom I was supposed to fight against. Kuchiki-san and Yoruichi san were also there, so was my _Kido_ teacher Kisuke-kun. A tall, raven haired man came in front of me, “I am Shiba kaien, from Shiba clan, I will be your opponent today, let’s get started!!” he said energetically and took defensive start waiting for me to attack.

I was judging his movements and waited thinking from where to attack, his stance was amazing, I wanted to find an opening, but he beat me to it and lunged at me disappearing in mid-air and appearing behind me. I smiled because I had predicted that, ‘kisuke-kun was great teacher and friend’, I thought, I learned many things from him including predicting moments. He was not called the genius he is for no reasons. He had graduated in a year from academy and was already head of second unit of 2 squad and in charge of maggots nest.

As shiba-san was about to cut me from behind I turned and blasted kido at his sword throwing a kick to his guts at same time, he grabbed my foot and recovered from the blast though I succeeded in knocking down his sword. He tried to throw me on the ground but I used his grip on foot placing hand on ground I used my second foot to kick his face and that made him release my foot. He did not go down as I had expected by the hit I landed but smirked and lunged towards the sword.

I used kido “ _Hado #33: Sokastui!!”_ which he blocked “ _Bakudo #39: Enkosen_ ”

Before he could block I had already prepared the next attack with _“Hado# 31: Shakkaho”_ which he dodged but they were mere distraction form main attack.

I used all power I could muster in my feet flash stepped behind him with greater speed and held his own sword to his throat. He laughed and called some name and the sword disappeared from my hand and appeared in his. I was shicked but I jumped back form him while he turned back and he slashed me, I avoided the nasty hit by putting my arm before me but I was pissed and at the time when I was blocking attack I put my finger on chest in right side to call white lighting _“Hado #4: Byakurai’_.

A powerful surge of electricity went through his chest and he cringed in pain, I took advantage and appearing behind him I pinned him to ground after knocking his sword out of his hand. Clapping voices were heard but we never stopped forcing our way though. He called the same name again and sword again appeared in his hands, but before we could start

“That’s enough kids; we saw what we needed to see. Let’s clean your wounds”, Captain Kyouraku said.

With that I released him and we both gave each other a polite bow,

“You did well, kiyomi-san” he said

“Thank you, Shiba-san.”

We both again bowed before making out way out of the ground to 2 squad barracks.

**In the squad 2 barracks**

Everybody gave me compliments, Soura was cleaning my wound when Kisuke-kun asked Soura to hand over the cloth and warm water. He took the cloth form her and started working on my wound. He did gently cleaned the wound, put some creamy paste of white substance on it and started bandaging my arm, I had frown on face and was staring at ground,

“Don’t worry, Kiyomi-san! Once you have materialized your own zanpakutou, your sword fighting skills would improve and you are wondering over what happened with his sword I would explain it to you later today in details, ok? Now please smile, you did great. You also can figure it out though; you see the katana has the unreleased energy or spirit you may say, which has its own name and existence while it stays part of your own soul.” He really knew what I was upset about. He cleared the concept with one sentence.

“You could have told me this, couldn’t you? I would have never gone for the _katana_ , I never used higher _hado_ too and I just conserved my _Reiastu_ as you said.”

“ _Maa, Maa_ , Kiyomi san, you did well. Don’t worry. If you knew everything beforehand how would you have known the connection between _katana_ spirit and the one with shinigami, all zanpakutou don’t react like that, it must be specialty for his own zanpakutou.” He said putting hands in air and closing his eyes while giving his signature sheepish smile.

“Oh!” I said. I still was confused, but

“Kiyomi-san, I am impressed! In only 3 years you have accomplished this much, you actually manage to overpower one of our best fighters even without zanpakutou. I must say, the way you did not use higher Kido spells, you really had good control of your reiastu. I guess it’s about time we start working on your zanpakutou! What you think Juushirou?” Pink kimono san asked Ukitake san. He nodded in agreement. My training worth three years as they used to say was actually only half of it. As time one spends in academy, full blown course, was a different case and here I was studying on my own and trained by division members for only half as compared to the time and the training one received in academy.

I had to pursue my music and painting too, also had some traditional obligations to be carried out and work alongside my mother.

“I already have my hands full with Byakuya; I guess you should train her for getting her soul slayer materialized, Shunsui.” Ukitake san whispered. They talked and thought about the plans. Kisuke kun and Yoruichi san also joined the discussion. They were all talking about me and my fighting style but I was not feeling like participating the conversation myself. I just kept quiet and listened to what everyone had to say, occasionally nodding at their statements. I was upset about the fight.

\------------

After some time when crowd thinned and conversation died out, I bid good bye to the squad second people as I would be spending more time with squad 8 now. Also I would be not visiting Kuchiki-mansion, I had new goal now, to materialize my soul slayer. After the exam and the aftermath, I and Soura went to Kuchiki mansion, I was welcomed by butler Junichi, “well come kiyomi-sama, I would inform master and young master of your arrival, please wait I main hall” he said escorting me to main hall. I went and took sit and started rubbing my temple thinking about what had happened. Soura was standing outside, I actually wanted to talk to her but I knew better than to make her sit beside me in main hall of Kuchiki mansion.

“Kiyomi-san, congratulations!! You did well today in your fight against Shiba-san. Also I am happy to announce that written exam you took two days ago had proved that you are indeed good at history and I would be recommending you for next stage of your training, which is materialization of your zanpakutou. _Sou Taichou_ has given us the permission to train you further and the Fujiwara clan elders have been informed about the same and they are also happy with the progress.”

I gave him a slight bow and thanked him; Byakuya-san gave small bow and extremely small smile which vanished after he saw at my bandaged arm. His smile was replaced by frown, small but still existent. Kuchiki-san called maid and ordered for tea and cookies.  

“Kuchiki san, this means that my study of history and sessions to be taken here in Kuchiki-mansion are completed”

He nodded.

“Kyouraku-san would be training me for next stage. I would be training in 8th squad from now on till I get my soul slayer materialized. I also want to improve my sword fighting skills.” He nodded.

“Kiyomi san, whenever possible for me I could train you for _zanjustu_ [Sword fighting skills] in kuchiki dojo, if you want!”

I smiled and thanked him. We had tea in silence and Kuchiki-san said that he had some matters to attend to so he left us.

“Kiyomi-san, you would not be coming here anymore. I really enjoy talking to you and we studied together too!”

“Byakuya-san, you have already joined _gotei 13_ , you already have a soul slayer, soon you will learn its _shikai_ too, I am far behind being a shinigami. You are excellent at _zanjutsu_ too. You know in the fight, I couldn’t separate the sword from Shiba-san’s hand today, I did not know what happen. It was so frustrating.”

“Kiyomi san, you fought a man whom ukitake san has been pursuing to make his vice-captain and you were overpowering him without even having to use your zanpakutou, that itself proves that you are worthy of bring _shinigami_. Please keep up the good work and don’t be upset” he gently put his hand on my clenched fist. I never knew that I was doing that, the bad habit of mine since I was a child ‘I clench my fist so hard, sometime draw blood but won’t say a thing or wont express my anger or sadness in words’.

His warm and larger hand on my small fist made me let go of the anger and relax my hand. The moment I released the fist he took my hand in his and give it an assuring squeeze that made me look up to him, his face had soft expressions and he was smiling. It was rare for him to smile, but his smile was beautiful.

“You should smile more Byakuya-san. It’s really beautiful!!” That made him blush a little but he did not let go of my hand. We just kept staring at each other. I just could not move my eyes off his face, after some time I realized what he said earlier I would not be coming here as much as used to and I would miss this place. That made me frown just a little before I straighten my face but I guess my eyes gave it away.

“What is it, Kiyomi-san?”

“It is as you say Byakuya san! I won’t be coming here daily for the History lessons and study”

“Well, it’s not a problem, you can visit here any time, we are friends right and I will visit you too, in squad 8 and I will come to see the paintings and listen the music at your place” he said.

“and to have tea in garden and to race in _seireitie_ ” I added smiling slightly,

“and to exchange books and to tell stories” he said smiling at me, again, he smiled again. I was feeling butterflies in stomach. My hand leaned in his for more comfort and warmth, his grip on my hand got more firm yet gentle.

“Would you always be my friend, Byakuya-san? You are very important to me. I had friends before but they were all too engulfed in their clan business, their noble ways and their politics to get to know me better and to really get involved. Soura is my friend who understands me but she keeps her distance because she does not want me to get into trouble. I had everything, I have knowledge, art, parents, money, books, servants, everything a girl could possibly ask for but had nobody to share it with. I envied normal people. Though they don’t have many things that we never even bother noticing around our house but they at least have people they can share something with. They can speak their heart to each other. They don’t have to keep their face straight when they are sad, they don’t have to smile when they are tired. I hate living fake life, Byakuya-san.”

“I would never let you go, kiyomi-san! I am very lucky to have friend like you. Please don’t worry. A beautiful and strong girl like you should not be upset and sad. Kiyomi san, would you like to take a walk in garden with me?”

The while time we were talking, he held my hand firmly yet gently, this was first time somebody was holding my hand like this. I liked the feeling but there was insecurity of some kind which I could not figure out. He stood letting go of my hand and I felt empty and cold but before I could look back his hand, he said

“Kiyomi san, let’s go” and offered his hand for me to take and stand up.

I was right handed person so I unconsciously raised my right hand to put into his left one. When he grabbed it I cringed from pain due to wound I had received and I lost my balance when I started taking it back but he let go of my aching hand and bent down and gently pulled me up to his chest and made me stand on my feet.

Our faces were close to each other. We never realized what was happening, it happened so fast and he acted on instincts I guess, but we were too close to each other, his chicks instantly tinted pink and he released his grip on me. As I was standing my feet now it appeared as if he was hugging me. I was blushing and I knew that he had noticed it by now. I looked away as I felt shy. He cleared throat, motioned to towards garden and asked in hoarse voice, “Shall we?” He had taken my left hand in his right and we were about to head to the garden when suddenly a knock came from the door.

“Enter” he said angrily, I could sense his anger in his _reiastu_ , ‘was he mad that the knock ruined the moment just as I was sad it did in fact killed the moment! Wait! What? Were we having a moment? or it was just …..’ my thoughts went away when I saw Soura,

Butler came inside with Soura, “Master Fujiwara-sama has sent a messenger. Kiyomi sama, your presence has been requested, I am afraid we have to go.”

I looked at byakuya-san, he gave a nod and released my hand, his face was stoic but eyes seemed so sad. I was sad too, I did want to take that walk and spend a little more time with him. We bowed to each other and I went with Soura to my home.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**2 weeks after that**

Byakuya was an early riser, he was sitting garden and having his morning tea. He looked like he was in deep thoughts while he kept staring at the fish swimming and drawing circular patterns on the water surface in the _koi_ pond.

**Byakuya’s POV**

‘It’s been quite a while since I last saw her, she never came to Kuchiki Manor after that evening; I only got her letters delivered by Hisana. I miss her badly. I guess I am starting to fall for her, especially after that evening. Now that I don’t see her daily, I have learned how much she means in my life, how much she had occupied my heart. Is it good to love somebody? But people say love makes people weak, I don’t want to be weak, in any case. By the way, Hisana is nice person after all, she does seem to be good friend to Kiyomi-san, maybe I should ask her what kiyomi-san likes, what are her dislikes and get more information about my kiyomi-san..wait! what!!’

I closed my eyes so as to focus and make my thoughts more coherent. But

‘That is not going well. I need a distraction. I don’t want to think like that. I want to be her friend forever, I promised her! But I can’t control it anymore! I need to see her, and then this all would stop. I just need to see her at least once. It’s been so long since; I would get back to normal once I see her.’

‘Master! Love does not make one weak, Love is the power of heart, it is most powerful emotion a soul can feel. You could meet her and see for yourself how you feel after that. I am sure your heart would feel at ease.’ Senbonzakura said in my head. I sighed in defeat.

‘This is indeed very difficult. We met each other every day for about a year and now I have not seen her for two weeks and I can’t stop myself from thinking about her! Aaaaarghh! May be I will visit her in 8 squad barracks.’

**Kiyomi’s POV**

I was on my way to Shunsui Nii san’s office, we used to train every morning. He was such skilled fighter. He really was good teacher. I had become quiet familiar to squad 8. They all were early birds, the work culture here was healthy and warm. People were really friendly and easy going unlike the people in squad 2. Squad 2 was about discipline and rules. They were strict and curt and never once yo would find anybody slacking around.

‘It’s been just few days, two weeks to be more precise since I started coming here and guess what I like it here. It’s really enjoyable not be bothered to keep straight face like always. Kyouraku-san is definitely good person, I thought he was weird at start but he is very pleasant and funny person to have company of. He cheers me up all the time. I feel like I have yet another big-brother. I also started addressing  him ‘Shu-nii-san’. He keeps teasing and flirting with his vice-captain but actually is very caring, powerful, skillful and mature person when situation calls for it. He is also noble but does not act like one. Just like Yoruichi-san. I love it here. I have made new friends too. Yoruichi san and Kisuke kun visit me here frequently. But I have not seen Byakuya san for a while.’

I came to Nii san’s office and I was standing outside the door, still thinking whether should I go to see Byakuya san or to train as for now and visit him later.

‘Only Byakuya san has not yet come to see me. I missed Kuchiki-mansion and I missed talking to Byakuya san. It not like that I have not been missing him form first day but…Wait! What? I don’t miss him, I miss talking to him! …I sighed in defeat. ‘Well I do miss him! I would have to go and see him.’

\-----

I asked Shu-nii-san’s permission to visit Byakuya san instead of training this morning. I guess I will have to apologize that I have not been able to keep in touch. I took Soura with me and headed for kuchiki-mansion. 

\------------ * * * * ---------

**In 8 th squad barracks **

**Byakuya’s POV**

Ukitake Taichou gave me a few hours off for visiting squad 8 and said that he would also like to visit Kyouraku Taichou. So we were here in squad 8, Ukitake Taichou greeted him form the doorway and we went inside after Kyouraku Taichou asked us to come and have tea with him.

“My- My …..Bya-kun, Kiyomi-chan went to kuchiki-mansion just a few minutes back! She took off for seeing you and you are here with Juushirou in my division at this early hour, tough luck. Don’t worry we will send somebody to tell her that her boyfriend is here to see her.”

“Kyouraku _Taichou_ , please we are just friends” I defended and fought back he blush which was not least bit working. ‘Wow! She does care; she missed her training just to see me before I go to work. How thoughtful!’ I am definitely falling for her.

“Really, then explain the blush you had when I mentioned she went to see you and you are red all over, even your ears are red, ha ha ha ha ha ha!!” he said laughing hard.

“Shunsui, send the messenger already!!” Ukitake _Taichou_ said.

“ _hai..hai_.. Juushirou, now come on lets have sake…”

“ _Eeeeh!!!_ [What?]” Captain exclaimed.

“Ohh!! My bad, I mean Let us have Tea!!” he corrected.

\------------ * * * * ---------

**Kiyomi’s POV**

“Welcome, lady fujiwara-sama, it’s good to see you again and you are looking as beautiful as ever”

Junichi welcomed me. I nodded and asked for Byakuya san.

“Young master left early today, even before breakfast. I am sorry lady fujiwara-sama, shall I send a messenger for him”

“No, I that won’t be necessary, please tell him that I was here.”

“ _Hai,_ lady fujiwara-sama”. I nodded and took Soura by hand and flash stepped towards 13 squad barracks, Soura was not fond of flash steps since she felt dizzy after the ordeal but she said it was needed this time and she would be fine with it. We went to 13 division captain’s office only to find closed and two sleepy third seats sitting on porch. They were bickering over something sleepily.

“Captain Ukitake and kuchiki-san went somewhere a few minutes ago, Kiyomi-san!” they said in unison. I was surprised at their coordination. Then a raven haired man said that they may have gone for a morning walk and blond said they went to see sun-rise beyond the woods at the same time and ‘here goes my comment about their coordination’ I thought.

‘Kill me, I took off today and Byakuya-san had to go for a morning walk, toady. Guess what, tough luck. Best to go back to the training!!’ Shu-Nii-san I am coming back’ I thought.

\--------- * * * ---------------

 

**In 8 th division barracks**

**Ukitake’s POV**

Messenger came, “Reporting in! Young lady Fujiwara had already left the kuchiki-mansion when I reached the Kuchiki Manor” and vanished in thin air.

“ _Yare, yare_ [dear, dear], poor girl! Well, I know her well, she will come here in matter of minutes. She did not take even breakfast….you see Jushiro, young love”

Byakuya started blushing mad, got up and was about to leave when we felt familiar reiastu coming his way and corners of his lips twitched upwards, ever so slightly. He was smiling! Well that was rare! ‘She is back, she is here’ I thought. He turned back on his hill and sat back in his seat receiving suspicious glances from us both.

Knock 

“ _Shu-nii-san_ , I have come back, can we resume training please.” Her voice was different.

“Kiyomi-chan, please come inside, I have something important to tell you” shunsui said in very serious tone as if to give a bad news to somebody. Kiyomi-san came in.

She was surprised to find us there. Shunsui was smiling softly and have different feeling in his eyes. All I ever saw about him, Shunsui has always been just womanizer and skirt chaser but he was different towards her and He was very protective of Kiyomi-san. Like…like a brother. Come to think of it, she did address him as ‘Shu-nii-san’. Well it’s good, for him, for her and for me too. I guess.’

“Kiyomi-san, I thought I would meet you today, so asked Ukitake _Taichou_ if I can visit squad 8, so we came here to see you. How are you doing, Kiyomi-san?” Byakuya said standing up from his seat as she made her way in, he was still blushing. May be due to teasing shunsui did, or I guessed so. Kiyomi-san on other hand, stood all calm and collected. She too had small, nearly unnoticeable pink ting on her cheeks. Is she blushing too?’ I thought.

She nodded at Byakuya and said

“I am fine Byakuya-san. Thank you, I hope you and kuchiki-san are doing well. It very nice of you that you came to visit us today!” She said looking at him and smiling slightly like her father often does. After a minute or so she looked at me and said,

“O _hayo-gosaimusu_ [Good Morning] Ukitake-san, thank you for allowing Byakuya-san the visit” she was so wise and well worded for a girl at her age. Teenagers are generally hot headed, nervous and eager to prove themselves. Well she was not exactly a teenager, we shinigami don’t age like that, but she was way younger than me. She was a little younger than Byakuya, may be 12 to 15 years younger than him as per the documents I had received at the time of the meetings we had with the Clan elders. Her calm demeanor and wise words were so rare trait to be found in the youngsters of her generation and that was difference in her and Byakuya I guess.

“Shu-nii san!…..umm…Kyouraku _taichou_ , you wanted to tell me something”

He nodded and motioned her to sit. Suddenly there was loud sound of ‘Thud’ outside, we all went to see it was a servant girl collapsed outside the office, Kiyomi san went picked her petite form firmly in hands and asked Shunsui if she can rest in office or barracks somewhere for a little time.

“Kiyomi-chan, bring her inside, we would have her eat something, it’s clearly the case of exhaustion”, she nodded and put her on couch in Shunsui’s office. Kiyomi-san started using kido to boost the girl’s reiastu up and it worked after few minutes girl opened eyes and shoot up in her sit, stood shakily and kneeled down in front of us and started apologizing, fighting all the protesting Kiyomi-san was doing.

“It’s ok, Soura chan, would you like to have tea with us?” Shunsui asked and her eyes went wide as if her had asked something wrong. She looked at Kiyomi-san who gently pulled her up and sat her on chair. We had tea and breakfast at Shunsui’s office. I was talking to Shunsui about kiyomi-san’s progress and Kiyomi-san and byakuya were talking to each other and they looked so engrossed in each other, they were not even eating. I have never seen Byakuya talk like that. ‘May be it’s as Shunsui said’, I gave an inaudible sigh even before I knew it.

**Byakuya’s POV**

We were talking as if we did not see each other in ages, she found out that I actually knew that she went to see me at mansion, she blushed slightly but kept her stoic face, ‘her eyes were expressive though, those beautiful green eyes’.

 She told me that she also went to my division and also told me the reason Hisana collapsed, it was because of the _shunpo_ kiyomi san has to use; still she did not complain and apologized after recovering even though it was not her mistake. Hisana was a very nice person, obedient, loyal and kind. Her personality was very different than Kiyomi-san.

“Byakuya-san, I wanted to give you this” Kiyomi san had a cylindrical box like structure on her back, she moved her hand to take something out, she blushed slightly before handing me over the medium size stroll. I opened to find that it was painting on sheet of cloth. With very light blue lace as flexible flame over it. Painted in the picture were beautiful sakura trees, colored to be in full bloom, petals were flowing with wind, there was a river flowing nearby and the same bright blue butterfly, like the one in the painting I had seen that day, was sitting on _sakura_ flower. It was still very beautiful. It was exactly the same, it felt like it had sprout our real its wings and came flying form that painting and sat on this one. I could not help but feel connection with that blue butterfly. It was very lively. And painting was for me. The frame made of lace said ‘to Byakuya san’ on the top and on the bottom edge of the painting was written ‘form Kiyomi’’

“It is very beautiful, kiyomi-san, thank you.” I knew I was blushing mad by now, ‘why my heartbeat was so fast. Is it going to explode in my chest?’

“Indeed…she is very talented you know, I am very proud of you, Kiyomi-san”, Kyouraku _Taichou_ said peeping over my shoulders and snapping me back to reality. She smiled very slightly at him and then looked at me and said

“Byakuya san, could you come to mansion to have dinner tonight. I would like to show you some of my new paintings and my brother is coming back after years so he wants to see you too”. I nodded and smiled inwardly.

I handed over the stroll to Ukitake _Taichou_ for him to see the painting. He admired Kiyomi-san and the painting. ‘This is best day of the week’ I thought.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

 


	3. Weird day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chapter is about a Weird day in Kiyomi's Life.  
> Kiyomi has her Soul Slayer now! She is 3rd seated officer of Squad 8. 
> 
> Kiyomi meets Aizen and Gin. He wants to be her friend. She thinks of him as a wise and caring person. 
> 
> The moment Aizen sets his eyes upon her, he starts planning something!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Her Soul slayer and its powers would be described in following chapters.  
> This is just a day in her life.

 

Days passed by very fast for Kiyomi as she was learning to uncover the truth of her _zanpakutou_ , she indeed has materialized it and trained for finding out the name of her soul slayer. Her schedule became hectic for more training was required. Byakuya and Kiyomi kept seeing each other on weekends sometimes. He started visiting her at Fujiwara mansion frequently after few months of them being apart as in her was in 13th squad and she was in 8th for her training. Everybody started talking about their relationship as they began noticing the changes in Byakuya’s behavior towards Kiyomi. She was new to _Gotei_ 13 but Byakuya was famous, it was obvious for people to note the changes in his behavior for the unknown beautiful noble girl.  

Kiyomi however was getting popular in _gotei_ 13, due her beauty and strong spiritual pressure. She met all the current captains and vice captains. They were all friendly and respected her as a person not as noble women. She liked taking to the gentle captain Unohana. She learned her _zanpakutou_ name with Kyouraku and Kisuke kun’s help and attained her shikai in year and half. Kisuke helped her gain control over her reiastu while releasing one of her swords.  She had unique soul slayer only her shu-nii-san and Kisuke kun knew about. She started studying about rules and regulations of _gotei_ 13 awaiting the exam which would finally make her one of the 13 squads. After exam she was offered 3rd seat in squad 8 and she officially become a _shinigami_ of _gotei_ 13.

**Kiyomi’s POV**

It’s really nice to do the work that actually matters, protecting the innocent and maintaining order was something I thought was mattered. It was like I thought back then, I felt alive, I actually feel my existence. I have friends and people who respect me for who I truly am and not because I am a noble, a fujiwara clan member. Finally……a normal life. I have people to thank for …Yoruichi san, kuchiki-san, kisuke-kun, Soura. I don’t see Soura much these days. ‘I have office work you know. She works at mansion. I miss her though’

\---------------- * * * ---------------------

Today was just like any other day in _Gotei_ 13, I had morning walk with Byakuya-san, we had breakfast together before coming to office as usual and he gave me a new book to read. It has become our routine now, he comes early in morning, we walk in garden or to the woods till the clearing by the lake to see sunrise, have breakfast together, exchange books sometimes and head to our offices. I liked spending time with him, I cherished the moments we spent together. He often was the inspiration for my paintings, though I never told him that and never showed him how many times I had drawn his portrait. ‘What you expect! He is most handsome man in Soul Society!’ I thought every time after finishing the painting that involved him somehow.

I was in squad 8, doing paper work with lisa fuk-taichou, she was nice person and my friend. But we had extra share of paperwork because our sake-loving, lazy captain would not do his.

“Kiyomi, would you take these papers to squad 1 after you finish that?”

“ _hai_ , lisa-chan” with that I left barracks after finishing that paper I was writing on, heading to squad one. I had lot of papers in my hand but it was manageable, I was walking peacefully as after the paperwork we had lunch time and I had completed all my share of paperwork before leaving, so there was no more paperwork today. I was in my thoughts and was looking straight ahead my way when suddenly somebody bumped into me from left side and I landed on my butt, all papers fell and some flew in air from stack. Without looking who was the person I shoot up using flash steps to collect the papers. The more I caught, even more flew up from that stack. ‘urgh..what is wrong with this wind, don’t mess with me’ I thought, then somebody picked up the stack of paper securing it safely in hand and started collecting other papers distributed on ground arranging them in stack neatly, I collected all those in air and landed beside him.

“hello, Fujiwara-san, here are your papers, are you all right?” Aizen fuk-taichou asked with a worried face. He was tall, fair, he had chestnut color hair, warm and kind brown eyes behind the spectacles, he seemed very kind and smart person, his routine was very methodical and in my opinion, he was workaholic.

“Thank you Aizen fuk-taichou, I am alright.”

We turn to look as the ‘culprit’, he was pale, timid little boy. He already was on his knees all this time. He bowed repeatedly and kept apologizing with scared look on his face. “ _gomenesai_ , fujiwara san seki, I was chased by some members of 11th squad. Pardon my clumsiness but they are really very scary” I gave him a smile, “its ok, don’t worry, are you form squad 4?”

“hai, fujiwara-san seki”

“Well, take care, I need to go now”, with that he thanked me like four times, bowing each time and left running towards 4th squad as if his life was in danger. ‘What’s with these people’ I thought.

“Are you going towards squad 1, Fujiwara-san?” I nodded, taking papers form his hand. He himself had another stack of papers in his other hand.

“Well, then I shall accompany you, I was also going to squad 1” He said smiling sweetly. I nodded and we started walking together.

We talked about Seireitei rules, new comers form academy, his experience in hollow fighting and many other things. He invited to have lunch with him that day, lisa-chan joined us as me and lisa-chan used to have lunch together every day. We went to restaurant near division 5 and met his friend small, petite, silver headed friend with wired smile plastered on his face and eyes closed all the time, Ichimaru Gin. He was a weird person, but he mostly kept quiet and kept his eyes closed.

After lunch gin left, me and lisa-chan bid goodbye to the 5th division _fuk-taichou_ and headed to our division. I was telling her what happened earlier with stack of papers and funny 4 th squad person. We were laughing, her expressions suddenly changed.

“Kiyomi, I don’t like that man, please be careful and alert around him.” I gave her a confusing look.

“I am talking about Aizen, I guess, he is not what he looks like, I can’t put my finger on it but there is something wrong with the picture”

“What are you saying, lisa-chan, he is very popular among girls you know and besides he just a fellow shinigami that’s all, no need to worry, it’s not like we are seeing each other very day, but thanks for the warning anyway.” I said. I did felt something was off with his reiastu, but I never thought it is serious. I said this because I was feeling his reiastu nearby, maybe he is listening. Huh! ‘Eavesdropping is bad Mr. Azien’ I thought. I glanced back over my shoulder where I felt him standing but nobody was there.

\--------------------

Little did she know what dangers were there ahead….

**Aizen’s POV**

‘Just a fellow shinigami, am i?  That is going to change dear kiyomi-san, and soon. Lisa _fuk taichou_ you are going to pay for trying to change her mind about me, I haven’t even asked her to be my friend yet, we still have long way to go. You will like me, kiyomi-san, more than you like anybody else, more than you like that kisuke and more than you like that prince Kuchiki.

I am going to wound byakuya’s pride about his nobility and kisukes’s pride about his knowledge and creativity. I won’t let them reach to you. I am going to beat them in their own game and they will fail without even realizing who exactly their opponent is. I was smirking at the thought of new plan taking birth in my head but soon realized that something is not right, ‘For a moment there, I though she glanced back I me! How is this possible?’

I was in my thoughts glaring at lisa and was planning ahead when somebody tapped my shoulder, wait! What!! Tapped my shoulder? That’s impossible I was using my zanpakutou, how can anybody see me like this. I turned around to find my idiot captain, shinji hirako.

“When did you found out, taichou?”

“Since you were in your mama’s belly, pretty boy! Now quit day dreaming and don’t stare, she is my first love you know and we are getting married.” He smirked.

Ohh!! How much I wanted to punch him in face right now, she does not even spare a second glance at this idiot and who would marry such a pervert. Every pretty girl is his first love. Go figure. Huh…Well I need to get rid of him first! He makes me sick to my stomach!!

“hai, taichou, let us head to office for, I want you to sign some forms, please”

‘I am going to win, I would be most powerful person in world and when I will rule all the three worlds, I will make you mine kiyomi-san’

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Kiyomi’s POV**

 The day was weird, byakuya-san was behaving different lately, today we had walk but he did not talk much, usually we never run out of words and topics but he was all silent today, he never told me what was wrong. Then, suddenly Aizen san invited me to lunch today, lisa-chan said he is dangerous and now I am waiting for kisuke-kun to show up. He has never been late before, in fact he comes a little early before I finish my work and usually waits outside the barracks. It has been like forever, why can’t he just visit my place. 

I was looking in the direction he was to come from but appeared from behind me and said “boo”. I cringed at the voice but knew it was Kisuke kun.

“kisuke-kun, I have been waiting for ages!!” I said in serious tone, lowering my head and clenching my fists, he behaved like a kid. Ohh! This guy!!

“Yo! Can’t resist kusuke’s charm? Waiting for him kills right!!” Yoruichi-san from rooftop yelled. My face was all red, kisuke kun’s chicks were pink and he was smiling sheepishly, scratching back of his head.

I smacked my palm on my forehead, “Yoruichi-san, it’s just that today was a weird day for me! And Kisuke-kun is never late so I was just worried.” I said smiling at her and waving my hand in air like she used to do.

“I know, I know, we had some business to take care off and it was order form _sou-taichou_ , kisuke just helped me a bit so don’t punish him much” I was about to yell at her, “now, now, don’t let me not keep you two! Off you go… you lovebirds!!….. Just avoid soi fon…….she may try to kill you kiyomi, if she saw you getting all lovey-dovey over kisuke, you know!!” she said in mocking tone and smirked.

“Yorichi san , please its not..” Before I could say anything…

“Yoruichi-sama!!!, you know that I hate him, why you do that to me!!!” soi fon appeared behind me and yelled.

“Yo! Soi fon! Took you long enough! You wanna go with Kisuke too?”

“Yoruichi sama!!” she blushed madly.

“C’mon now we have to talk to Kyouraku and lisa, have you brought all the reports?” Soi fon had red face too but her blush died when she heard about the reports and nodded in agreement to show the papers in her hand wrapped in envelope. And they both vanished from our site.

“Ok!! What was that?” I said looking over Kisuke-kun. I know he plays ‘absent minded genius all the time. But I have way to see through it now.’

“Beats me!!” he said and we laughed.

“Kiyomi-san, have you ever tried coffee or hot-chocolate they sell in real world? I know a place where we can get one. Want to try out some?” he said smiling.

I nodded and we started walking out from squad 8 area, I always liked the new things he showed me. He never gave me books to read like Byakuya-san, but he gave me direct practical knowledge by sharing practical experiences while talking and giving examples. Though Shu-nii-san was training me to gain a soul slayer, it was in fact kisuke-kun who helped me call out to the zanpakutou.

“Kiyomi-san you said the day was weird, would you please tell me what happened?......um…..if you want to…that is!” I told him all that happened. Even about byakuya-san.

“Hum, well I agree with lisa-chan, please be careful around him, he is not to be trusted”

“hun?? You too!!” I said looking at him confused.

“I will tell you Kiyomi-san, when I will find out exactly what is not to be trusted about him and you know I will”, he said smiling. I trusted him so I nodded as we kept walking towards squad 2.

After a long walk and few jokes and lot of talking………..

“Oh, here we are!!” he said scratching back of his head and giving his signature carefree smile.

“Kisuke-kun, this is backyard of your quarter which is pretty messed up if you asked me.” I sighed and said, “Well….I should have known.” I said sighing again.

“Aww! You are being so rude Kiyomi-san” he said fake crying, I could practically hear his happiness in voice where he was acting to be hurt. I liked his demeanor sometimes, though it may get annoying for someone like Soi fon or Byakuya san. ‘He is complete opposite of Byakuya-san’, I thought. I never have to hide my emotions and worry about composure around him, he takes it easy. He sees through me easily as if reading my soul which was good and bad at the same time.

‘But I cannot act like this around Byakuya san, he is a respectable noble and he must expect me to act like the one. I can’t be behaving like kid around him; I don’t want to push him away! May be I will get to act freely around him when I will get to know him even better!’ I was snapped back at the reality when I felt my hunger creeping up my stomach and Kisuke kun was waving his palm in front of my face.

“Kiyomi san! Back to soul Society! Kiyomi san!!” He was yelling.

“Stop yelling!! You …you told me we would be getting to try hot-chocolate… or something……I want it now”

“ _Hai, hai_ , please wait here, I will be back in flash”. When he went inside I tried to find a spot clean enough to sit not only fail. I was looking around the garden when I felt familiar spiritual pressure nearby, it was suppressed to great extent, I could not pin point it.

I closed my eyes, my fist clenched instinctively as I concentrated on the reiastu, ‘I know it why can’t I tell whom does it belong to’……I was still trying to recognize……and then it hit me. It was Aizen san, I opened my eyes to look at the direction where I felt him standing. A wave of danger washed over me for no particular reason. ‘Nothing’, no one was there, I went over the place and tried moving my hands through air as if it was invisible something. Nothing, I never caught anything. ‘Huh! Am I going mad? I definitely felt his reiastu here, I guess lisa-chan and kisuke-kun really planted idea in my mind.’ 

Kisuke-kun came back yelling my name, I saw him holding two mugs standing exactly where I was before I stared wandering around, finding no place good enough to sit in the garden, we decided to sit on roof of his quarters in squad two and guess what! It was good idea. It was early evening, only few fluffy clouds with orange outline were in sky, sky was decorated with shades of orange and yellow, blue. Air was nor too cold or warm. I gave sigh of contentment after taking a seep of chocolaty liquid. It was tasty.

‘That was good evening of a weird day’ I thought. We sat in silent, enjoying it. I was clam and I forgot about Aizen san going invisible and following us. There was comfortable silence. We saw sky turning dark, laid our backs on roof. Looking as starts starting to pop in sky, as sun vanished.

‘Kisuke Kun is really good friend of mine, if anything ever happens, I could rely on these guys, Yoruichi san, Byakuya san, Kisuke kun, Soi fon, Shunsui Onii san, Ukitake san, I would be counting on you guys. Byakuya san! I wish he would be here right now, he doesn’t like sweet things to eat and drink though’, I thought.

‘Why but? I mean he likes Sakura blossoms and doesn’t like sweet things, C’mon, there must be something that is sweet and he likes it. Hey! Why am I thinking about him? And what would it matter if he doesn’t like sweet things, it not necessary that he should like them anyways. Just STOP BRAIN! Just keep HIM out for second will you?” I was thinking and thinking. I realized it as getting late and I am still on roof and with one of my best friend who was being carelessly ignored by me. I am bad person.

“I should go now, Kisuke-kun. This hot-chocolate was really nice, let’s have it again someday. Let’s go, you coming to mansion today?” I said sitting up. He nodded first and then shook his head saying no! I got what he meant by that reaction, I had gotten used to his ways of communication by now. We jumped down from roof and started walking towards my home,

“Kisuke kun, why won’t you visit mansion, why won’t you come with Yoruichi-san or Ukitake-san when they visit me, I asked them about you every time they came to see me. And I am tired of asking you come daily when we meet in evening like this. You keep avoid answering. I wanted to show you the paintings, you know.”

“I will come next month or may be a month after that Kiyomi-san and that is a promise”, he said grinning. I knew he was not joking. So, he is going to come to see my paintings. Next month it is! I would surprise him. I just thought of perfect plan of making a painting of him working with explosives and burning his place badly.

I felt it again, ‘somebody following us! Is it really Aizen-san again? Why can’t I get over that feeling?’. I kept calm and looked back where I felt somebody walking in shadows, I stopped suddenly and so did Kisuke-kun, he did not say anything as if he knew what I was doing, I closed my eyes and concentrated again. Same feeling again! I flash stepped to location and kicked in air where I thought somebody was standing. Nothing again! I went up in air to examine area; I caught mess of black hair running in the shadows and it almost vanished in fraction of seconds. ‘Was it Byakuya san? But it actually felt like Aizen san! Why would any of them stalk us? What is going on?’ Kisuke-kun came behind me, his back facing mine, hand oh hilt of sword.

“Kisuke-kun, I felt reiastu following us; It was also there when we were at squad 2, we are or rather we were being followed and I hate this feeling.”

“I thought so, I couldn’t sense reiastu, it was masked but I have a detector device with me which never stopped detecting since we left your squad”

“So, you allowed us being watched?”

“No, I wanted to find out who it was because whoever it is, it’s following you and not me” I tensed up, ‘why would somebody do that, was it Aizen-san like I felt for moment there? If it really was its impossible to hide a reiastu form me as I can detect it even of masked. But the retreating figure was nothing like him back there, it’s was more like byakuya-san!………Wait! What? He would never spy on me.’ I was trying to figure out what just happened.

“Kiyomi-san, let get you home and here, keep this with you” he handed over an odd looking piece of metal which had some light on it.

“When it vibrates and glows, there is indeed someone around you within 2 miles, suppressing their reiastu. You can reset it by pressing this button. It records the Reiastu too, so it won’t detect the ones you won’t want it to, take for example you were within the range when I switched on the senor but I have your reiastu signature recorded in it, so it did tell me that Reiastu it was detecting was in fact somebody other than you.”  

“You made this Kisuke Kun?”

“I did, please keep it close to you, preferably in your pocket so that its vibrations would be felt by you, now let’s hurry” I nodded, we flash stepped to gates of Fujiwara mansion and I bid good night to Kisuke-kun. He did the same and went away.

So, in the end it was a weird day.

I had dinner in my room, I was not in mood for painting or music so started reading the book Byakuya-san gave me in morning, soon I drifted to sleep.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

**Aizen’s POV**

In kiyomi’s room………………….

“Your powers are amazing Kiyomi-san. You could sense my Reiastu after all the trouble I went in masking it and even using my Zanpakutou for that matter. You are beautiful, strong, smart, intelligent, a good leader and nobody can deceive you. You are everything I need, my future queen. ”

‘She looks so beautiful while sleeping, I have to get rid of the device Urahara gave her. No! That would create more suspicion, I have to find that servant girl and start giving orders to gin and kaname for execution of the plan. She would be our perfect little pawn.’

I flew back to _rukongai_ , phase two of my experiments was being taking place. I had to witness the results. Gin was there as usual with subjects, “My, my Gin! You did go all out, so another stage successful! We have to move on with the plan with more suitable subjects than these worthless souls”.

“Hai, Aizen-Taichou!!”

“I am not yet a _Taichou_ Gin. Anyways I have another task for you to take care of, kaname get rid of this mess and meet me in my office tomorrow and make sure Muguruma don’t get a hint that you are up to something. That’s is all for now, let’s go Gin”

“Hai, Aizen sama” kaname said. I and gin were heading to his place.

‘All of them are fools, so easy to manipulate, so worthless low lives following their worthless ideals, I at least am putting them in some use before they die, disgusting pests!’

 ‘Don’t worry, Kiyomi san, I won’t allow these pest get in our way. You would rule the all the three worlds and be by my side like I want you too, my Kiyomi san! I can’t wait for you to be mine! I have to patient! To carry out perfect plan we need lot of time, ne! I have perfect plan for Byakuya Kuchiki as well as Kisuke Urahara. They would soon be removed form my path.’

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 


	4. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> confessions!!! :)  
> Finally!!  
> and a descriptive semi lemon! yeah! you may say like that! 
> 
> Kiyomi and Byakuya finally figure out their feelings for each other and Byakuya confesses his love for her. Ukitake feels bad as he finds out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiyomi's Soul slayers are reveled. Abilities would be soon revealed in following chapters. i really had to do lot of thinking and brainstorming for finding out names and the Japanese verbs and sentences to make them work you know!! :)

Kiyomi was happy to have a life of a shinigami, her days in Gotei 13 were as normal as that of her fellow shinigami. She continued training to achieve perfection in shinigami fighting skills. She was a good student and very hard worker. She had a few fights against hollows of her own in rukongai area to be proud about, she had showed no mercy to hollows and defeated them with ease, she even had fought huge hollow and won. Days in squad 8 were cheerful and she had become close friend of lisa, Vice-captain of 8 th division and also found a new little girl as a friend named Nanao Ise. Those three girls were like sisters, always together if not been separated by their duties. Kiyomi has been spending lot of time outside the mansion as amount of her work and number of her friends had increased considerably. Few things remained same though, she always found time for the close ones, Yoruichi san, Byakuya san, Kisuke kun, Soi fon, Soura along with Ukitake san and her Shunsui-nii-san.

**In squad 8 barracks**

Kiyomi had just returned from a two-day mission in the world of the living.

**Kiyomi’s POV**

“Kiyomi-san, you just have returned form mission, just relax a bit. You look tired. You can take the rest day off today! There is not much work as it is and it’s almost evening so no need to wright report now, you now” Shu-nii-san said , he was gawking at the wine bottle in his hand when I glanced at him.

“Thanks Shu-Nii san but it’s better to write reports when it’s fresh, I would just complete these and deliver them to _Sou Taichou’s_ office and finish my task one and for all.” I said while writing the report. ‘I always felt uncomfortable if some work is kept pending, it would keep me feel uneasy and I would never be able to relax if I keep it for later. It’s not my way of doing things.’

“Stubborn as always, aren’t we?” lisa-chan teased and we all laughed. ‘It is always easy when these two are around’, I thought.

I was writing the report and sitting on chair near my desk and Shu- _Taichou_ was sitting on couch in the reading reports I have written so far and lisa-chan was looking for a book in the book shelf near my desk.

Suddenly the door opened with soft swing and we all tuned our heads in the direction form where light and strong wind came through to find Ukitake-san entering the office without a knock. ‘He never does that, how come he just barged in! Something is wrong with him! He is always so polite and happy but he seems gloomy today! No, in fact he is been like this for a while now? Is he ill? Yeah! Definitely, he looks ill and pale’

“So, here you are Shunsui! I went to your office looking for you” He said in tired voice and then looked at me and smiled, it was forced smile, or at least I thoughts so,

“I see, you have return from the world of the living Kiyomi san, how was your first mission in The real World?” he tried to sound enthusiastic but his voice didn’t help it.

“It was good, living world is such an interesting place Ukitake-san. I really loved it and the mission was simple really. I did enjoy my stay there. Buy you, Ukitake san, look pale, are you all right?” I asked worried.

“I am fine dear; I just recovered from another of those sessions of coughing fits, no need to worry!” he said closing his eye while he talked.

“I don’t believe they haven’t found the cure yet! Why have not you tried to search for a cure in the World of living” I said, I was pissed. We had whole division of medical experts and he still was as ill and exhausted as ever.

“There is no cure, Just let it go Kiyomi san. I would not want to talk about it now. Please.” He said while walking towards couch so as to sit beside Onii san but stopped and looked at me when I said,

“Anyways, it’s really good that you came here Ukitake san, I was just going to visit you today after completing reports. Here, this is for you.” I took out the packet covered in green paper form the bag lying on my desk and holding it out for him to take. He came, took the packet and looked at keenly, “It is a packet of medicinal tea for you. I brought it from The world of the living, hope you will like it and it will help your lung condition”

“Thank you, Kiyomi san, that’s very sweet of you”

“I got a wine bottle and lisa-chan got bracelet, I wonder what would Byakuya get?” Shunsui Taichou exclaimed showing Ukitake san a bottle in his hand. ‘He acts like 2 year old sometimes, look at his expressions! Feels like he is a kid who had got a bag of candy!! And with all that innocence on his face he still manages to tease me! Why bring up Byakuya san’s name! Of course I would buy him a gift! That is but obvious; I did it for all my special friends! He is so special! He is …’ my thoughts were abruptly cut off by yet another taunt; it was Lisa chan this time.                                  

“Stop teasing her _Taichou_! She likes Kisuke and not that Kuchiki Prince! She likes normal people and not nobles, haven’t you figured it out yet!!!” lisa chan said out of the blue.

My eye twitched at her statement. My hand stopped writing for just a second before continuing. She noticed my reaction and laughed. ‘Whoa! Why she though that, Kisuke kun is my best friend, like Yoruichi and Soi fon, Ukitake san and herself. Why people think like that? Well Yoruichi san does tease us. Huh!! She teases Soi fon about Kisuke kun too, well I guess that can’t be avoided. And as far as Byakuya san is considered, yes he is prince and yes he is noble, but he is different than all other noble boys! Wait does that mean I like him…….I mean do like ‘LIKE HIM’ like that? .......umm!!!......... Yes I do like him, but do I ‘like him’ like that? Sure I like him more that Kisuke kun and others but……Urrrgh!!’ I noticed that I had stopped writing and was staring at the white paper when Lisa chan cleared the throat.

“like you are not teasing me, lisa-chan” I said, giving her a glare and they laughed their heads off except of course our sweet but curtly gloomy Ukitake san, he was looking at the tea packet and looked like he was in deep thoughts. I continued writing.

“Speaking of Byakuya, did he get the transfer papers yet?” Shu _Taichou_ asked Ukitake san.

“Transfer?” I asked in cold voice and uninterested tone but I was so confused inside.

“ _Hai, hai,_ Kiyomi-san, he would be switching to squad 6 as vice-captain. He is soon going to become the next Kuchiki clan head and he would be future captain of 6 th division after all.”

“Oh! Just like squad 2 and Shihouin clan, right? I had read it in history but it’s so sudden!” I said. He nodded. I was glad that I had finally completed the report; I signed it and took sign of Shu-nii san.

“Shu-nii-san, Ukitake-san, lisa-chan, I will have to take your leave now. I am going to deliver reports to squad 1 and I would be taking the rest of the day off as you said _Taichou_ , see you all later” I slightly bowed and was about to leave,

“Kiyomi, I am tagging along”, lisa-chan had stack of papers in her hand, she waved at Shu-taichou, I nodded and we left.

\-----------* * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**In squad 8, captain’s office**

Ukitake and Kyouraku, the best friends were having tea and Shunsui was worried about his friend. He had an idea what might be reason for Juushirou’s actual illness and his sad emotional status. They were sitting across the desk in his office. He poured the fresh tea in the cup.

**Shunsui’s POV**

“Juushirou, want to tell me what is bothering you? It’s even affecting your health now, you look horrible!!” I was worried; he is behaving like he had heartbreak for quite a while now. He sounds different since last month. He avoids getting out of squad and his visits here have lessened considerably. I also had forcefully to ask him to make him come here today.

“You know that I am sick shunsui. It’s just the usual, nothing is bothering Me.” he said looking at me and smiling. It was forced I could see it.

“Stop pretending, I know you are more than just sick. So, do you want me to guess!!!!?”

I know a fake smile when I see it, especially on Juushirou’s face. He was looking down at cup in his hand, staring at the green liquid. He did not answer but just shook his head saying no. ‘That’s it!  I have a very good idea what is been bothering him but I never wanted to hurt him by stating the obvious. But I still have to try to cheer him up. He cannot just avoid the whole world and keep living in his cocoon forever. What’s wrong in listening to your heart anyways?’ I sighed and finally decided to speak up.

“Ok!! I know what is wrong with you. You like her, don’t you?”

“…..” he still was looking down but his eye went wide and he looked surprised.

“So, you do. Now, what is wrong in that? And why don’t just tell her? People don’t avoid person they like, you know and don’t say ‘it’s nothing like that’. I can see you avoid her lately, you don’t even come at the week-end-get-together now-a-days?”

“……” His face now had sad expressions; I could feel his tensed reiastu. He still did not say anything nor did he make any attempt to look at me.

“Talk to me or I am going to tell her ‘what I feel is wrong with you’ the next time I see her” he finally shot his head up to meet my gaze. I could feel his burdened heart in his tightly pulled up _reiastu_ and the pain was so readable in his eyes. He gave a long and tired sigh in defeat and said,

“Shunsui, I am terrible person. I don’t know how to put it in words, how to say it when I cannot even confess to myself ….” His voice was shaky and hoarse. I was really feeling very bad for him. So he is in his pit of self-pity and does not want to come out and face the situation.

“Hey! Stop all this and just tell me already!” I demanded in a harsh voice.

“I should be ashamed of myself Shunsui; I should not feel this way!! There is big age gap between us, she belogs to the different generation all together. I am sick all the times…………………….. you think of her as your kid sister and she would hate me if this…… [sigh]...., I don’t even know if she even considers me as a friend or she talks to me just because I am your friend and Byakuya’s sensei.” He said in low voice.

“Why would she buy you a perfect gift if she wouldn’t consider you as her friend!! She did it for all of us, didn’t she? And more importantly, we don’t even age like humans. There is no thing as age gap in _shinigami_ , now is there? Love does not know any bounds my friend. Talking about age! Look Juushirou!! she is not 17, she is not a child. She too is over centuries old you know and you have lived a few more centuries that does make any difference”, I said to bring him to his senses but his expression did not change.

‘He was upset because he thinks that he is old and sick! No!! He was upset because he had figured out her tendency of giving Byakuya more attention than any of us. I have seen her favoring Byakuya more than once. We all have noticed Byakuya going way out of his methods and habits to meet and make Kiyomi happy. It is obvious they have feelings for each other but it’s still too premature to draw any kinds of conclusions yet, they still consider each other as best friends. Both of them yet have not figured out their feelings. I knew he could not help but compare himself to Byakuya, that is why he must have felt older and sick or what not!’ I thought.

“I don’t know Shunsui. I can’t ignore my feeling for her anymore, especially when she is around me and training with me. I don’t want to do anything stupid and hurt her or change the way she looks at me now. Byakuya is more appropriate choice for her, I don’t want to come in there way, you know.”

“You should let her make that choice. We don’t even know if they are in a relationship. I don’t think they consider each other more than friends as of now. Don’t go on assuming things. I don’t think you should just give up on her like that if you do love her that is.” I said.

“No shunsui, it’s too early, I cannot even confess to myself that I am in fact in ………… [ pause]……… in love, how could I tell her how I feel. I just want to wait to confirm my feelings first and let her choose herself. It’s only best for her,”

“How she will know if you never tell her and keep avoiding her like that, hun?”

‘You need to be yourself again, you should not avoid her, Juushirou! I want what is best for you and her! If she chooses Byakuya in future, which I think she will, then its ok for you to be upset and heartbroken like that but till then please hold on Juushirou!’

“I won’t avoid her Shunsui…….. [pause] ………I will definitely try not to” he said but had trace of uneasiness in his voice.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**In squad 1 barracks**

**Kiyomi’s POV**

“I, fujiwara kiyomi, 3rd seat of squad 8, have come to give reports to fuk-taichou as per the orders given at start of mission” I said after knocking on the door.

“Please come in, fujiwara san”

“It’s good to have reports this early, its good habit you got there, fujiwara san”

“Arigato, fuk-taichou”

“Well, wait here for a second” with that he left, I was in his office when I felt a familiar spiritual pressure nearby.

I peeped outside the door to spot Byakuya standing beside kuchiki-san and unohana san.

‘Byakuya san! Why am I so happy to see you!’ Creak on the door inside made me look back, fuk-taichou had returned,

“fujiwara san, you are to visit squad 1 barracks first thing in morning of Monday next week, you would be informed about your next mission then, that’s all for now”

“Hai, fuk taichou”

I went outside the barracks; Byakuya-san was still there. I went near them but stayed a few polite feet away so as not to be in the earshot, he noticed me and nodded, I returned the gesture. I waited for them to finish then walk towards Kuchiki-san and Byakuya-san. Byakuya san gave me a very genuine smile. I liked the way he treated me. He gave me smile every now and then and I was addicted to it for some reason and could not help but feel special. ‘It was rare for him to smile at someone after all’.

“Hello Kiyomi san. How are you? And how was your mission? Byakuya told me that it was your first mission in the world of the living” Kuchiki-san said, looking at me.

“I am fine. Thank you Kuchiki _Taichou_! The mission was successful and I just submitted the reports” I said after I nodded in reply to his question.

“Good and up to date work! Just as expected form you, dear kiyomi san! Would you like to have tea with us, I assume you are done with the work for the day”

“Yes, Kuchiki-san, thank you. It would be my pleasure” I said nodding before he tuned and shunpoed towards 6th division. Byakuya and I were left alone.

“Kiyomi san, I am happy to see you!” he said looking at me with a slight smile playing on his lips. “I have a new book that I want you to read, would you visit Kuchiki manor today?” he asked calm voice. I nodded.

“I would love to” I said before he motioned me to follow kuchiki san. We smiled at each other for real this time and flash stepped together toward division 6. I liked being with him, ‘I just hope I don’t do anything stupid to make him hate me and he would be by my side forever.’

We reached to 6th division and went to Kuchiki san’s office. While we were having tea together, I gave him the green tea packet I had bought for Kuchiki-san and gave Byakuya san a set of 6 pairs of white combat glows. I congratulated Byakuya san as he has become vice-captain of 6th squad.

Kuchiki san got a report from squad 2 about some important matter so he was reading the note he had just received, while me and Byakuya san were talking in low voices as we did not want to disturb Kuchiki san. We were barely using our voices, we were as good as whispering to each other.

“Thank you of the gift. It is very nice of you. I promise to wear these glows all the time I am outside the mansion Kiyomi san. They are perfect and I liked them, white suits me.”

“I am happy you like them Byakuya san. So, you would be in Squad 6 now, congratulations! You are a vice-captain now!” I whisper exclaimed happily.

“Thank you Kiyomi san” he took out a pair of glows and put them on his hand. They were somewhat loose but he tied tighter them to fit on his slender hands. It was basically a guard while fingers were free; it covered the rest of the palm and wrist very neatly. It looked good on his hands.

I messenger came in to tell Byakuya san has been called at _fuk-taichou’s_ meeting.

He dismissed him, “Kiyomi san! I would be waiting for you in Kuchiki manor; I would send a butterfly to notify you when meeting is over. I have to go now.” I nodded giving him a smile.

He bowed his Grandfather and went for the meeting.

\------after some time…..

“Kiyomi-san, what you think about Byakuya?” Kuchiki san asked after we finished tea.

“He is great person and friend, definitely a good worrier. He is intelligent and good looking. But he does hove bad temper” I said trying to keep straight face. I knew if I keep thinking about Byakuya san a bit longer, I would not be able to control the blush that had started appearing on my face and I would never stop praising him and babbling stuff about him. ‘I think, just messed up, I should have framed a simple sentence but I ended up saying what came up in my mind before I could control! See what your smile does to me, Byakuya san!’ I thought.

“Is that all you think of him, Kiyomi san?” he said, my heart skipped a bit. I kept my composure but it was getting difficult with each passing second under his scrutinizing gaze. ‘Why he has to ask this now?’

‘I do like him, I mean I think about him all the time but I don’t know what he thinks about me, surly he like me as friend. Though he treats me like a special friend and even smiles at me while that smile of his is extremely rare he has never expressed anything more than that, but then I never tried to express anything yet. How can I? I am not sure yet! Or I can say I am afraid to lose a friend like him. Anyways, telling these things to family members and elders is too early. They will try to match us up even if Byakuya san would not want to. In fact, I haven’t even thought this through yet. Best not to say any unnecessary things’, I decided to be honest and give a sincere answer to Kuchiki san.

“I know what are you implying Kuchiki san. I will be honest with you; I have not given it a thought yet. I do like him, more than just a friend but I don’t know what exactly that is. I do care about him very much.  You know that my life as shinigami has just started and you are one of those who helped me reach here Kuchiki-san, I am not yet ready to go any further than friendship, I hope you understand my feelings sir.”

“Hmm, I think I have noticed that much and byakuya too cares about you a lot. We belong to nobles clans Kiyomi-san, you would soon be asked to choose among the suitors as you have completed the ordeal of getting into gotei 13 successfully and I have to do the same for Byakuya. He would be head of the clan soon, we would have to find a bride for him. I just wanted to know your opinion beforehand.”

“I understand sir.” I said.

“I would appreciate it, if this remains between the two of us for now, Kiyomi san”

“Of course, I don’t get to see him much these days. We both have lot of work these days” I said. “Kuchiki-san, I would like to take your permission to leave now. Have a nice day” I bowed slightly and he nodded.

I left the 6th division and run to 2nd, I wanted to talk to Yoruichi san, I missed her. When I reached there, nobody was to be found, the guards told me she and Soi fon went to see _Sou Taichou_ and there was vice captain meeting, Kisuke-kun was in _rukongai_ for some mission. I went home after that, I had long day I missed my piano. I had snacks in my room, played piano, Soura was very happy to see me, we talked a lot, I told her my experience in living world, I gifted her dress I bought her from living world, she was very happy to see me.

I received message from Byakuya san, I went to Kuchiki Manor as he had asked me to come. Soura was with me and so were the Fujiwara clan guards. I had asked father not to keep guards just to escort me as I was shinigami myself and could take care of myself just fine, but he would not listen. We reached the Kuchiki Mansion, I was welcomed by Junichi, the head butler. I sent guards back and just allowed one to stay at the Kuchiki Mansion’s guard’s area. Junichi lead me to the garden where Byakuya san was waiting for me.

“Kiyomi san!!” He greeted me with smile again; I could not help but feel warm and fuzzy inside my mind. He was still in his _shihakusho_ [Black Garment, black kimono that shinigami wear], he had on his hands those white fingerless glows, _tekko_ , that I had gifted him today. They really suited him. He had one hand on hilt of _Senbonzakura_ and another hand was hanging his side. His hair was down absent the _kenseikan_ , he looked so handsome,   

“Byakuya san, did I keep you waiting. I had told father that I don’t need any more security but he would not listen.” I said in soft voice.

“No need to worry. You should let guards escort you Kiyomi san, there is no such thing as too much security. You are a beautiful girl from top most noble family in Seireitei.” He said looking directly into my eyes. Those deep slate gray orbs, I felt like he was reading my soul with them.

“Oh! How I wish I were born in normal family Byakuya san.” I said avoiding his eyes.

“No! It’s good that you are not! We would never have met!” I looked at him again he was still looking at me. No! More like into my eyes, I could not look away this time, like he had a firm grip over me,

“Kiyomi san, shall we tell her to wait in the waiting area of servants?” he said but he did not look at Soura, his eyes were still fixed on mine. I nodded and I felt Soura’s presence moving away form mine.

“Yeah! How is your bankai training going Byakuya san!” I asked changing the topic and looking away as I could not control blush that had started creeping up my chicks.

“I would like to tell you everything, shall we go inside, let us talk it over tea.” He said holding out his hand. I took it and he lead me inside the mansion.

We talked for hours. He gave me book to read and also showed his calligraphy patterns. They were beautiful. He had a talent.

“Kiyomi san, tomorrow morning..” he was saying something but I his words reminded me of squad 1 immediately.

“Oh! Byakuya san, I need to go to squad 1, they have some special mission for me to handle I guess. So, I am afraid that our morning walk would be my house to Squad 1.” I said cutting him off. “Sorry Byakuya san, you were saying something and …..” I said feeling embarrassed. He shook his head saying no before I could complete the apology.

“Another mission, I see. It is good though. You get experience and practical knowledge from the mission. It’s better than training we do.”

“Yes, you are right.”

‘People were really wrong about Byakuya san, He was not a loner or arrogant teen with ill temper, nor was he cold hearted noble who looked down on people like all Gotei 13 made had him sound like. He was caring, intelligent and very good person if you get to know him. Sure he had his temper but it suited him just fine.’ People say he would not talk much but we never seem to run out of topics, he tells me everything. People say he is ice prince, his eyes and presence has given me more warmth than any other person has made me feel. We kept talking to each other till a messenger came and gave me a note form father. I needed to go back to mansion.

We bid each other goodbyes and I had to leave for Fujiwara mansion.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Monday morning in 1 st squad**

**Kiyomi’s POV**

I was informed that _sou Taichou_ himself wanted to see me, this was indeed my first time to meet him personally and he had an incredible reiastu. When I went inside Captain Unohana and captain Ukitake was there. Sou-taichou praised my work in last mission and told me about the mission and the special training, I had to undergo, Unohana _Taichou_ and Ukitake _Taichou_ were supposed to be my mentors for first stage and in second stage Yamamoto Sou _Taichou_ himself would train me. I was supposed to be sent on 20-years mission, which included travelling to living world and hell. I was shocked at the elaborate plan and the time duration it would require me to spend away from Soul Society. ‘Was I ready for this? 20 years! I would be gone for 20 years! I would not be able to see my parents, my friends, my piano, Byakuya san! Am I really ready for all this? Isn’t 20 years too much time? Why can’t I contact anybody in soul society for this long? It’s so cruel’

This was so sudden. I was told that I had good reiastu and my abilities of detecting spiritual pressure were amazing and my _zanpakutou_ abilities were suitable for this mission.

I was dismissed with note “You are not to discuss details about your training and mission to anyone, except for your captain” and I went to squad 8 to tell my captain and lisa-chan, what happened there.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**General POV**

And …...that was it. ………Another adventure for kiyomi...

Main Training was supposed to be held inside squad 1 area, which generally was not open for a regular shinigami. But for the main training she needed to learn some _kido_ techniques form Unohana and master her _zanpakutou_ skills with the help of Ukitake. She also had two swords as _zanpakutou_ just like Ukitake and Kyouraku, which she had found out practicing with Urahara. Urahara in fact had helped her call out her _zanpakutou_ and find their names in the first place. She had found her _shikai_ and also had used it once only to collapse from exhaustion. It took her a few hours to regain her consciousness after that. One of her _zanpakutou_ spirits was not ready to communicate telling she was not ready yet.

**Kiyomi’s POV**

For some reason, Shunsui Taichou seemed so happy when I told him I would be training with Unohana _Taichou_ and Ukitake-san. Training was mainly about directing my spiritual pressure through both the _zanpakutou_ properly as it was in the case with Ukitake san’s _zanpakutou_. I was doing my paperwork with Lisa chan in her office as usual, I wanted to finish it before lunch time so that after lunch time I would deliver the papers to squad 10 and visit Ukitake san and Unohana san for asking them about preparations required if any related to training.

I was tensed for some reason; I could not stop thinking about byakuya san since I heard the mission details. I need to tell him about the mission, ‘I think I am not ready to go for that long. 20 years is just too much. I could not help but feel uneasy at the thought of not seeing Him for that long. Have I fallen for you already? I like you Byakuya san, can’t you see it?’ I was thinking about HIM again. I need to tell him.

 

“Lisa-chan, is it ok if I invite Byakuya-san over to have lunch with us?”

‘I wanted to tell him about mission. I won’t say much as I can’t tell all the details but I can sure tell him that I am going. I am going to miss him badly. Has his grandfather asked him about me the way he asked me about him? Shall I ask him if Kuchiki san did? No he would probably ask me what did Kuchiki san say to me till I end up telling him what happened after he left for meeting. Huh! I can’t tell him. I have promised Kuchiki san I would not tell Byakuya san about that.’

‘Does love makes you weak as brother says? He says, ‘You should not be entertaining the possibility of love because it makes you weak, Kiyomi never forget that. Don’t show your emotions, people take advantage of you.’ his words were still there in my ears as if he had just said that to me. He always said that, when we used to spar. He was hell lot stronger than me and father. ‘I miss you having around, Eita Onii chan. Please tell me what to do; am I becoming weak because what I am feeling like this for Byakuya san? I am going to be away for minimum 20 years. That’s so long….’ I was thinking and thinking and thinking.

Lisa chan was poking my left chick with her first finger, “Oi…princess I said ‘Yeah, why not?’ you can call your prince, I don’t mind. But tell me first, who do you like Kisuke or that Kuchiki?” she asked shooting her left eyebrow up. ‘So, was I thinking that hard, huh!’

“Stop teasing Lisa chan, kisuke kun is just a friend, a best friend in fact. He keeps helping me out every time even though it has never been his responsibility nor to his benefit. I think of him as a support exactly like Eita san. He never acts like a lover but a brother to me, Ok? You tease me and it’s an insult to him. And If he had felt like that he would not have acted this freely around me just like he does around Yoruichi san and others.” I was irritated by her teasing. ‘Poor kisuke kun, he is jolly and never gets angry that’s why he is teased like that and matched up with every girl he talks to. And above all, they call him pervert too! He is such a messy person. He would laugh at that too I know’ I thought.

“Ohh! So Kuchiki boy it is then” Lisa chan said with smirk.

‘Oh! I defended kisuke kun but never denied anything related to Byakuya san!’

“LISA CHAN, please”. I yelled but I knew I have not denied anything. I just could not say anything. She started laughing but I ignored her and sent a messenger to Byakuya san’s office. I was humming while signing my papers. Mashiro san came barging in with Hiyori chan right behind her. I didn’t know them that well but personally I thought Hiyori could use a break. She had permanent scowl on her face and she felt ready to beat the shit out of you at all times. Rumors were in the air in Seireitei that her captain would to get promoted to the higher squad.

“Unn…Lisa, Kensei is being mean to me again and Hiyori’s is pissed, I want you to help me clear her head. You are buying us lunch” She said pointing her hand hidden in her sleeve of black kimono to Lisa chan.

“I don’t want her to buy me any lunch, _boke_ [dumbass]!!!”, Hiyori shouted and tried to kick mashiro san on her back but she easily dodged it and laugher her head off.

…………

The whole time they were there in office, there was shouting, screaming, childish accusations and what not. I felt my brain pushing against my skull!! I had a terrible headache!!

“Kiyomi, on second thought you should have lunch with the prince alone. I am taking these idiots to their favorite place for lunch. I would be going to deliver these papers to squad 10 after that. See you in training grounds later. Don’t forget to get captain’s signs on the forms I told you about. _Jaa no!_ [Later!]” I nodded and she left along with the rest.

‘Finally, some peace and quiet’, I thought. I put my head on desk, I was waiting for byakuya san to arrive.

**Byakya’s POV**

I went to tell grandfather that I was visiting the Squad 8 and would have lunch with Kiyomi san; he smirked at the documents in the hand after I told him that. I knew it was meant for me. It was rather unnoticeable but he gave a cold glance at me when I waited for him to nod. After he acknowledged the news I left. ‘What was that smirk about! Grandfather is very different sometimes’ I thought. Kiyomi san had to go to squad 1, now she called suddenly and I wonder what it was about!!

I flash-stepped to her office, door was wide open, she had her head on desk and eyes closed. I could not help but feel worried I went near her desk,

“Kiyomi-san, are you alright?”

“Yes, I am fine, thank you.” she said, standing up arranging the papers and putting some of them in envelope. Her eyes were tired. I wanted to push for more information and ask why she felt so tired and sad but as I went closer to her desk, I felt her chicks turning pink.

I stopped dead in my tracks after seeing the faint pink blush on her face. I liked it when she blushed like that. Slight pink color on her face was proof enough that she noticed me the way I wanted her to. I cleared throat and said,

“Where would you like to go for lunch Kiyomi-san?”

“Place where we can eat peacefully, anywhere with no noise would do” she said, keeping calm tone, her voice was carefully low just above whisper only for me to here as If her voice would damage the something fragile.

We went to restaurant near division 5 which was famous for its food quality and it was quite secluded. We went inside and an elderly man walked up to me, I asked him to remove four tables around the table where we were to sit. That’s was pretty quiet. We sat and ordered our food.

“What happened Kiyomi-san, you sound tired and …………….. Different”

“I am fine, really, it’s just little headache. Our office got bit ‘noisy’ today. It’s good to have some peace again. I actually wanted to tell you that I soon would be assigned to mission.  And for that I would have to train and improve my _zanpakutou_ and _kido_ abilities. So I would be training in squad 4, every morning and squad 13 every evening”

Our food arrived and we started eating, we were just talking casually as we do on other topics.  We heard her name form the other side of the restaurant, she looked to her left side and waved at somebody, I followed her gaze to find Aizen waving back her. He was smiling, ‘Oh! How much I hate that smile. It seems so fake.’ He went away after that, we kept talking in silence. We finished lunch and asked for tea.

“So, the Special training again. I see, this mission must be so important, it’s good though, I am also training with grandfather for a mission I would be assigned in next month, but I would be going in Rukon. I am also perusing the goal of achieving Bankai as you know. They say it requires 10 years or so to acquire it, even more to master it.”

“Yes, I have heard so…………..[long pause]…….. Byakuya san!” that made me look at her. Her eyes were saying something; they were telling me that she was tensed for some reason, well to notice, her reiastu was tightly wrapped up around her, giving away her troubled mind. Though her reiastu was masked, I could notice the tightness and she still had her face was void of any expressions.

She finally sighed inaudibly and continued “Byakuya san …, I am not to tell the details about training and mission, but it would like to share that it would be of long period and after training I would only get two days to pack and collect everything for mission and rest. The training depends on how much I improve with zanpakutou and mission depends on that…..”, she told me that she had problem maintaining her shikai, and _Sou Taichou_ himself would be training her. I couldn’t yet make out the reason she was so tensed about. First, she did not seem to want to talk now she is talking nonstop. ‘What is wrong Kiyomi san? Please just tell me!’ I thought.

We were having tea now and she was telling me her experience with new things she learned from lisa-san and Kyouraku _Taichou._ ‘She had her eyes closed and she gave a small sigh again. What was troubling her? If only I knew! What is making her sigh like that! She is always so calm and collected but she is so troubled today. Something must be getting to her.  Why would you not tell me what are you thinking about Kiyomi san?’

‘She never expresses her feeling freely except for that Urahara and Yoruichi. Why does she treat them like that? Does she like him like that? They laugh, tease and fight. Pathetic! Am I envious to him? No! I am Byakuya Kuchiki. I do not envy people. They envy me. More importantly, I should tell her how I feel especially after seeing that blush she has every time I try to get closer to her. It makes me so mad about her; I don’t know how much longer I could keep my cool before ending up doing something that I may later regret. May be I will give her nice surprise when she returns and confess. Speaking of mission, how long would she be gone, how many days? Shall I ask?’ I thought. ‘I want her to know how I feel about her and this mission would give me time I needed to prepare properly and I would confess that I indeed love her.’ 

“Kiyomi san, if I may ask, how many days would it take, that mission you are assigned to perform?”

She paused and sighed again, I got confused. ‘Was that the problem? Or she is not allowed to tell?’, “Its ok Kiyomi san, if you are not supposed to tell then you don’t need..” I was cut off by her statement.

“It is supposed to be 20 year mission, may vary depending upon actual condition and my powers”. She said. She looked tired and sounded …..Different…wait! What 20 years?

“20 years?” I thought aloud even before I knew it.

She nodded. Something in me tensed too.  I could not put my finger on it but it feels odd, my reiastu tried to reach hers on its own; but I controlled it the moment I realized what I did. We remained silent after that, we had our tea in uncomfortable silence around us. We walked to squad 8. She was entering her office, I asked her if I can come in, she nodded said “of course”

We sat in office, didn’t talk much, Kyouraku Taichou came in with lisa vice-captain. Kiyomi san took his sign on some papers put them in envelope. She asked me if I wanted to tag along while she delivers the papers to squad 1 and 13. I went with her every place she wanted to go. All the time we did not talk much but I kept stealing quick glances at her, I knew she was doing it too. I had caught her glancing at me when I was standing outside the squad 13 talking to my former colleges. I was no doubt staring at her when I got chance. She looked disturbed too.

We went to squad 13 again; Ukitake san was resting as he had coughing fit. We went to squad 4 met Unohana _Taichou_ , she talked with her in private for some minutes and I walked her back to training ground of 8th squad. We bid our good byes to each other as she went to train with her colleges, I sat on roof top watching her spar with others in her division people and I just could not leave her side for rest of the day. I had informed Grandfather that I was with Kiyomi san and he surprisingly did give me rest of the day off.

After training hours, they bowed at each other and went inside for packing; I was waiting for her to come out. I saw her reaching the doorway and was about to jump down but she sat n the ground in the doorway as if to wait when I spotted Urahara Kisuke flash stepping in her direction.

He landed in front of her in a flash and smiled happily.

“Kisuke kun, you are late again. It’s becoming your habit now. So what was it today, chasing a rat?” she said in mocking tone. This was the way she talked him, freely. Her stoic face changed in his presence. ‘Why? What are you to her, Urahara Kisuke?’

“ _ettoo_ , I was being scolded by Soi fon because Yoruichi san told me to make paint that would explode the tracks that are painted to trap enemy you know, but corner of her own quarters got blasted in the afternoon, it was not my mistake. I was the victim of being accused as the culprit …” he said sheepishly scratching back of his head, ‘how stupid’ I thought but Kiyomi-san started laughing, I could see tears at corners of her eyes.

She laughs freely in front of him; I have never seen her laugh like that when we talk. She is different with him; she is not keeping her straight face. That’s it; I will confess to her soon, I want to know what exactly he is to her. I can’t let him steal her away from me. I like her that is why I am afraid what I might do, that would cause her to reject me or something! Does she feel same way? Because I definitely don’t want to be teased like that, the way Yoruichi behaves with me is unforgivable. Is that is why she is different with me than she is with Urahara? May be I am overthinking!’

“I have news, it is half good and half bad, but I know how you would react anyways. But before that tell me how you did find the proposal of adoption! It would be great you know. I really miss Eita san, it would be beneficial to my father too. So it’s not burden as you said it is.” Kiyomi san said after her laughter died down. ‘Adoption! What was she talking about?’

“It is not that simple Kiyomi chan. You know my condition and I have decided to not pursue her anymore. I would like to have my progress on my own terms. You know how I feel about it; I know you did feel the same way when you decided to enter Gotei 13” he said in serious tone. His usual happy-go-lucky demeanor was gone the instant she asked that question and he looked dead serious. ‘What was going on here? And why did he call her Kiyomi chan? It’s getting out of hand!’ I closed my eyes for a moment.

“It would be nice to have you around always! Let it go! It was not my idea anyways. It was Yoruichi san who suggested that to my father.  So, what’s new today, Kisuke kun?” she asked smiling and his mood changed back to what usually he felt like. ‘Having him around always? Why Kiyomi san? What is really going on?’

“Today is berry smoothie” he said happily. ‘What is that?’

“Oh!! You know I don’t like strawberries; last time was just dumb luck that I liked what you gave me. It’s not going to happen every time, you know” she said, pointing finger to him. She acted totally different around him, just like a child.

“Hai, hai but it contains raspberry and black berry too!! You like Blackberry, don’t you? I say, let’s try it, Kiyomi-san” he said as if he was encouraging her and he was making faces that I never liked,

She gave a nod in defeat and turned around to lock the door. After locking the door shut she turned back to look at him and stood there confused. I followed her gaze to find that Urahara was waving at me!! I jumped down from rooftop, landed near kiyomi, she looked little surprised.

“So, you were here the whole tome, didn’t you?” she asked smiling. I nodded.

“Might as well come with us, ne, Kisuke kun?” he nodded happily at her as if nothing has happened. I was reluctant and shocked. Is not he mad at my intrusion? I did alter their plans or whatever.

I had thought of leaving them when their conversation started but my feet didn’t listen to me. I was not able to decide what to tell her, and if or not I wanted to leave her. She tugged on the sleeve of my kimono, I looked at her she smiled and motioned me to come. How can I refuse that!! She was holding on the sleeve of my left arm and she was tugging on the sleeve Urahara’s right arm. They were taking about some types of food products I did not know about. I felt an urge to take her hand in mine but I had fought it back.

They were talking about completely different topics than I and kiyomi-san talk together about. She was expressing her feelings genuinely, I felt pang of jealousy. We went to squad 2, sat on roof top of an office unknown to me, drank some sweet liquid, taste of which was gross but Kiyomi san seemed to have liked it none the less. They shared my own share of drink together. She told him about the 20 year mission, his reaction was exactly same as mine. That was only think we had in common I guess, we sat in silent, observing sunset. After some more time, we walked her home. 

 

**At fujiwara mansion’s gate**

“Kisuke-kun, Byakuya-san, I would like to invite you two to dinner to Fujiwara mansion, please do come in”

“Sorry kiyomi-san, I have an exam tomorrow, I have to go now, so next time.” Urahara said playfully.

“You just keep avoiding visiting mansion, don’t you!” She said narrowing her eyes on him.

“You are the smartest one here Kiyomi-chan! Good night, I have to go now” with that he flash stepped away. Kiyomi-san was shaking her head smiling.

“Kiyomi-san, we would be still seeing each other in the morning as usual for walk, wont we?” She nodded and smiled slightly.

“Yes, that walk would be ‘my mansion to squad 4’ and the squad 6 for you. You can join me and Kisuke-kun in the evening when my training would end. Like we take walk in morning and have tea and breakfast together, me and Kisuke kun have evening walk every day. He is very good friend to have really, you would like him too when you would get him to know. He does not visit mansion when we have weekend’s get-togethers, I can’t tell why that is. I mean I do invite him every time, but he just avoids to visit every time. So we generally see each other in the evening.”

I nodded; I never wanted to pass up such an opportunity to be with her. ‘Why they hang out together like that every day? Why she wants him to come to the mansion, he is a commoner; he is not allowed to visit her in mansion at his free will! Is urahara in love with Kiyomi-san? Does she like him? But they did act all normal even when I was with them. Well, I have do make a move, I like you Kiyomi san, can’t you see it?’

My train of thoughts was interrupted by her, “So, Byakuya san, want to have dinner tonight at mansion?” there was slight blush on her pale face, very slight, I could see it even in the dark. ‘She looks so beautiful like that. Wait! AM I blushing too?’ I reluctantly closed my eyes and cleared my throat,

“Uhhhmm,….Kiyomi-san, we already have invited guest over for dinner at kuchiki mansion, I am afraid I would have to say no for today. I have to go now, see you tomorrow, Kiyomi san” I wanted to stay and talk with her but I had my duties too. We had relatives coming at mansion today. I bid her good bye and went to Kuchiki mansion.

\-------------------* * * ---------------------------

**Kiyomi’s POV**

After byakuya san left, I went inside the mansion and sat in garden thinking about today’s events. I liked the way Byakuya san spent most of the day with me. I wanted to hold his hand when we were walking to squad 2 and when he walked me home.

‘I have this feeling lately, I always want to hold your hand when we walk side by side Byakuya san. I like when you smile at me. When you come close to me it sends shivers down my spine. When you seat beside me, your musky scent makes my brain go fuzzy. I like the sound of your voice when you say my name. It is unbearable that I have to go away for such a lone time and I would not be able to see you. Is this love, Byakuya san? If it is, then do you feel like that about me? What am I to you, Byakuya san? What have you done to me?’

I sat there thinking about Byakuya san till servants came and told me that mother was waiting for me for dinner. I went to dining hall, told my parents about the mission. I could not stop thinking about HIM the whole time till I went to bed and sleep claimed my mind.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**General POV**

Kiyomi’s training started like the plans were laid out, there were some disturbances in rukongai, souls were vanishing suddenly but Kiyomi was kept away from the news of the problem, she focused on her training, Byakuya tried on many occasions to confess only to fail to tell her what he felt about her.

Ukitake-san and unohana were very kind and gentle and extremely powerful at the same time when it came to the fights. She liked them both. She was improving with kido but her second sword remained unresponsive. She indeed had very mysterious zanpakutou. She mastered her first shikai in a month.

Just as byakuya was finding it difficult to confess her, Ukitake was finding it impossible to hide his feeling from her. Her spending time with him was not helping him keep his resolve of ‘I can’t not feel this way towards Kiyomi-san’; Kyouraku was also pressurizing him to tell Kiyomi the truth.

One day when she was sparring against Unohana and Ukitake at a time, she found her second shikai and used both of her _zanpakutou_ with giving them full _reiastu,_ she continued fighting for few minutes and then collapsed on ground creating huge _reiastu_ blast, destroying half of training grounds and injuring herself and Ukitake badly.

They were moved and treated in squad 4 by none other than Unohana herself, Ukitake was healed immediately as the wounds were not too serious for him and he had tried used his own reiastu to save kiyomi form the blast and thus got injured but his reiastu had helped him stay in one piece too. He was told to rest for the day in his Ugendo.  Kiyomi was, on other hand, healed but unconscious for day, all her friends and Byakuya visited her in squad 4 and after recovering she was given 2 days off. She had thanked Ukitake for trying to save her and he admired him for his sacrificing his own life without a second thought for her. He was overwhelmed by the praises she showered him with. His feeling for her deepened even more that day.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Next day**

It was day off for Kiyomi; she was healed but still feeling weakness. Morning was chilly and a bit windy.  It was early in the morning when she woke up but as body clock was set up she did wake up at regular timing though Soura did not come to wake her up.  She jumped off the bed, took the book that she had been reading last night and went to the balcony to welcome a windy morning. She was an artst after all, she liked mornings and sunrises. She had habit of wearing the cloths she bought from World of the Living; she had taken a liking to T-shirts and jeans. She even used a long white baggy warm T-shirt to sleep in. she found those extremely comfy than the heavy traditional _kimonos_ she had to wear at home. She could use those T shirts while sleeping at least. She sat on balcony edge and leaned against the pillar closing her eyes while book still remained in her hand, she was enjoying the cool morning breeze when……….

_[Rewind a little, will you? :P]_

**Byakuya’s POV**

As usual I went to fujiwara mansion to pick up Kiyomi san and head towards her office. And that was the time I had her to myself. There was no Yoruichi, Urahara, Ukitake, Kyouraku and all others. Her fans also had increased in numbers, always following her around in _Seireitei_ , it made me sick to my stomach. ‘I mean it is clear enough that she is not interested in any one of them, then why not quit. Fools!’

I found myself thinking about telling her how I felt about her. I really had fallen for her and I wanted to be with her before somebody steals her away from me. I wanted the blush on her pale cheeks go deep shade of red for me. What if she did not feel same way about me? What if she already likes somebody else, that Urahara? What if she rejected me? What if never want to see me again? I can’t lose her or her friendship? What should I do? I was doing shunpo, I left kuchiki mansion a bit late today as grandfather was talking to me about his visit in _rukongai_.

I was assuming that she would be standing in her balcony, waiting for me to arrive as usual; she would wear that unusual _shikakusho_ of hers with the white jacket on it. She would sit on edge of balcony, she would have book in her hand which she would read till I get there. 

I was engrossed in the thoughts when I reached her mansion as usual but I did not see her face, there were long brown locks flowing with the morning breeze. I jumped up and landed quietly in balcony and I was stunned by her beauty. I noticed that she was not in shinigami uniform and ready to take walk and go to work as usual but was in ……………long baggy T-shirt. T shirt only!

She did have a book in her left hand but she was not reading. Her eyes were closed, her head was rested against the pillar, she was clinging to pillar in the balcony and holding it by other hand, her hair was down, long brown locks flowing with wind, few strands concealing her beautiful face occasionally as they flow freely with the wind. How beautiful was her morning face! I felt blood running to my chicks. ‘She is so perfect, oh…. how I want to hold her right now and want to tell her how much she meant for me!! I so much want to be that pillar right now!’ I could stand and watch her like this for eternity, the book in her hand fell down and she opened her eyes and gave gasp at seeing me there.

“Bya….Byakuya san??????????” that was genuine shock on her face and her face tuned deep shade of red,

She got off immediately wanting to run inside. I tried to catch hand…or rather the sleeve. Not finding her hand in that extra-long sleeve I tried to sneak my arm around her waist and caught her. She was face to face with me, her eyes went wide and brows shot up. After a moment she again tuned all red and looked down. She looked so beautiful. She had her hands hidden in those sleeves trying to take grip on on her T shirt; she was pulling it down trying to pull it below knees.

I brought her closer; she immediately went stiff in my embrace and instinctively put her hands on my shoulders. She flinched when I brought my face and my nose near her neck tilting my head a bit, taking in her smell; it was indeed ‘fresh vanilla’, like all her letters had smelled. I hold her face by one hand, brushed the soft brown strands off her face gently with my fingers and made her look at me; her eyes were still down,

“Please…look at me Kiyomi”

I whispered before her beautiful green orbs met my slate gray. She was blushing madly; her face was red all over. I knew I was blushing too. She was not comfortable in embrace but she did not make any attempt to pull herself out. I knew she could do that she was strong and powerful women after all. She had now fisted my _shihakusho_ in both her hands which miraculously had appeared out of those long sleeves, gripping the black fragment tightly over my shoulders. That was her nervousness but she never tried pushed me away. So, that was my cue. I decided to be brave and gave a quick kiss on her light pink lips. Again, her eyebrows went up, eyes went wide. Her Reiastu was flaring dangerously and so was mine. She whispered in shaky voice,

“You………you stole my first kiss…that was my first kiss…., byakuya sa……”she was moving her hand to her lips while saying that but took her hand and placed it on my chest and I cut her sentence off with another kiss. This kiss was long, passionate and gentle but deep. I brought down my Reiastu and wrapped it around us. I did not want the Seireitei know what we were up to. She was stiff at the start but soon started kissing back. Her Reiastu also settled down and mingled with mine. I could not help but nibble on those soft lips. I liked the way those soft lips were touching mine, they were perfectly fitting on mine.

She tasted vanilla and cashew nuts; I could not control myself from making kiss deeper. It became sloppy; I adjusted her face with my hand on the back of her neck for comfortable angle and I moaned in satisfaction. She relaxed in the kiss and put her weight against my body as if she could not stand properly. It was clear that she was inexperienced, she was clumsy in kiss but she definitely was delicious. She pulled _shihakusho_ to bring me yet closer as If it was possible, I balanced all her weight and tug gently on her hair to deepen the kiss further.

\---------- *** ----------------

Captain’s Office in 13th squad,

Ukitake was having his morning tea and was waiting at his office for Shunsui to show up when he felt a sudden Reiastu spike,

‘It is Kiyomi san’s Reiastu.’ Ukitake was staring in sky thinking what might have happened.

“You noticed that too Juushirou!” Ukitake saw Shunsui standing there, gripping his hat and his hat lowered up to the point where one could not see his eyes.

“Byakuya’s Reiastu also went up for a moment!” Ukitake said.

“Yeah!! But they don’t seem in danger. Just somewhat…………excited!”

“There is no hope for me, Shunsui! Is there?”

“You never made a move!”

“Maybe it is good that I did not!” Ukitake said.

\-------- *** --------------------------

**In Balcony outside Kiyomi’s room**

We soon broke for air and I finally found my courage to admit my feelings to her, I put my forehead on hers, my nose was touching hers slightly, my hands were wrapping her smaller frame securing her close to my chest. I whispered closing my eyes,

“Kioyomi, ‘ _ai shite imasu’_ [I love you] or rather I am in love with you. I have been for quite some time now. I was scared that you would reject me and I would lose you but even if you don’t love me back its fine, I will try hard to make you love me.”

I opened my eyes only to find her smiling at me and tears streaming out of her eyes. I was confused I loosen my firm grip over her and brought one of my hands to wipe away her tears. But she hugged me back, putting her arms around my neck.

“About time Byakuya san! Took you long enough” She whispered.

I sighed silently and a wave of relief washed over me. I suddenly felt enamors burden lifted from my shoulders. I hugged her firmly, pulled her flush against my body and lifted her off the ground. I could still feel tears wetting the fabric above my shoulders.

“Kiyomi ?”

“A moment please!”

She said in a muffled voice as she had face stuffed in my _shihakusho_. We stood there in each other’s arms for moment longer when there was a knock on door. I put Kiyomi on her feet gently but did not loosen the grip on bit. Hisana came in and she looked at us. I was glaring at her for ruining the moment as she always has done, but she looked so shocked seeing Kiyomi in my arms. She stood there bewildered for moment before realizing she was staring then bowed low apologetically turning around went to leave the way she came.

“Soura, wait” Kiyomi said while she was still in my arms.

Hisana stopped but did not turn around. Kiyomi pulled herself out from me gently and smiled at me, wiping her pale and blush-red face off the tears and motioned to come inside the room. She took me inside by hand and I went to sit on the bed. She went over to Hisana, told her to do something and Hisana nodded, bowed and went out of the room closing the door shut. Kiyomi came where I was sitting and sat beside me and said,

“Byakuya san, it was my day off today. And that’s why I am not ready as usual, but I would get ready in 10 minutes and we can leave for the walk, would you wait here till then or you would like to sit in the garden in the meantime” she asked.

‘Oh! She did tell me yesterday, but I forgot and came here anyway. Force of Habit!’ I thought.

I took her hand in mine, shook my head for answering ‘no’ and kissed her hand.

I pulled her close and sat her in my lap, put my left hand around her waist and put other hand on the back of her neck, pulled her face nearer to mine. She fluttered her eyes closed and put her hand around my neck when I gave her quick peck on lips again and started giving butterfly kisses on her jaw line; I went up to her left ear and nibbled on her earlobe for moment earning soft moans.

I moved to her long, pale neck as I used my hand on back of her neck to change the angle as I wanted. I showered her neck with kisses before I put my face in the crook of her neck and gave a wet lick on it receiving a squeak form her. I started caressing her soft pale skin of base of her neck with my tongue, she was shivered at every touch and she started digging her fingers in my back. Our mingled reistu’s were harshly pulling us close together. It was tuning me on like anything! Her reactions only made me go wild, I moved yet down to scrape my teeth against her collar bone. She had her one hand on my shoulder and other on the back of my neck.  

I switched on right side of the neck now, putting my left hand on the back of her neck and right hand on small of her back. I wanted to find her weak spot. I gave kisses on collar bone moving up to neck but when I kissed the base of her neck this time, she arched her back and threw her head back and pressed her chest in mine. That made me growl against her soft skin and I kept kissing the same spot. She was a moaning mess, which made me smirk against her skin! ‘Found it!’ she tugged on my hair now making me moan.

I sank my teeth in the tender flesh and chewed on it a little harshly; she whimpered and whispered my name, “Aaaah! Naa….Byaaa…..Byakuya san!!!!” I liked it the way she moaned my name.  I could not control my hands moving on her soft curves while I was working on her weak spot. After I was satisfied with devouring her neck I left many small soft kisses on the swollen dark purple-red spot on her fair and tender skin. I licked it many times over to apologize for being harsh and put head in the crook of her neck and closed eyes. I put my hands around her waist and relaxed on her chest. She hugged me back and rested her head against mine.

“Take your time Kiyomi. Now that I have told you how I feel, I would like to spend rest of the day with you. I will go to division to ask the day off as well. But before all that, I want you to call me by my first name”. My sound came muffled.

After that I had started kissing the skin of her neck again, ‘she is delicious and I just could not get enough of her’, but no response came from her. I pulled back from what I was doing to look at her.

She gave me a confused look.

“Only by my first name, my love” I traced her soft light pink, kiss-swollen lips with my thumb, she was blushing madly and looking at my hand. I liked the reaction. I cupped her face in my hand and brought even closer.

“Please call me by my first name, kiyomi” I whispered.

“I will be waiting for you here. Come real soon, Byakuya” She said looking at me.

I loved the way it sounded from her lips. That made me gave her a long passionate kiss, this time she kissed back real good. I asked for entrance this time by brushing my tongue against her lower lip and nibbling on it. She did not part her lips, I guess she did not understand, I moved my left hand a little down and gave her ass a squeeze. She gasped in the kiss and I shoved my tongue inside her mouth. There was no battle for dominance; she has softened deeply into kiss like she did in the first time. I traced with my tongue every line and every curve and as to memorize it. We broke for air again for air, there was thin line of saliva linking her lips to mine and some of it was dripping down her mauth. Her eyes were half lidded. I wiped clean her lips and chin, licking the saliva off and she shivered as she gripped my _shihakusho_. Her blush-red face was so beautiful and I could see my own flustered face in her shiny green orbs.

“Kiyomi, I would be back soon. Right now, I don’t think I can keep myself away from you that much too, but I have to go. We are going on date, may be in the world of the living so be ready and tell your parents that you would not return till after the dinner timing. You are mine for the whole day and you won’t be seeing anybody else today. I want you only to be with me for the rest of day.” I said in voice filled with passion and love.

“Yes sir!!!” she said playfully saluting me. “I am all yours Byakuya san! Now go or I won’t let you go!” She said smiling and adjusting my _kenseikan_ properly in to my hair and fixing my messed up hair. I was looking at her working on my hair, I liked feel of her hands running though my hair.

“There all done, now off you go!” while saying that she got off my lap.

“I would, if you promise me calling me by my name, as I am going to do!”

“Yes, I would Byakuya!” I smiled at her and then I flash stepping away to division 6. I could not wait to be with her again, wanted to make this day memorable to her.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

**General POV**

Byakuya started dating Kiyomi from that day. Only Soura knew about their relationship though she knew in her mind that both felt that way for long before confessing.  They decided to keep it a secret for now. Little did they know that they were being watched………………….

In spite of having their work as shinigami in _Gotei 13_ and the training Kiyomi had to undergo for special mission, they were seeing each other daily. They used to meet up secretly in her room or on rooftop of Fujiwara mansion with the help of Soura. Kiyomi’s evening walk with Kisuke was had new member, Byakuya, though he did not participate in the conversation or had an uninterested look on his face. He never wanted to pass up an opportunity to be near kiyomi. Byakuya never showed any public affection nor did Kiyomi asked for any. But he did show Urahara that Kiyomi was his by holding her hand while in his presence.

Her behavior towards Kisuke did not change a one bit. They still remained best friends. Difference was that she freely smiled and laughed in Byakuya’s presence now. She blushed more often when they were together. He did make her blushed 10 shaded deeper when he kissed her and left bite marks. He was very possessive and demanding. Kiyomi always felt his touches impatient and very demanding, she liked it though. Byakuya insisted on not showing any public affection as he wanted Kiyomi to enjoy her life as _shinigami_ that just has started. He knew the consequences given that both belonged to noble families. They were head over heels in love with each other though they often kept their stoic faces on when in public.

One day Byakuya was showing her his shikai, which was the dance of thousand Sakura petals. She loved it. She started jumping up and down for real. It was indeed beautiful sight to witness like her one of her paintings. She moved her hands to grab the petals of her favorite flower, Byakuya tried to stop her saying that ‘it’s dangerous, those petals are actually blades’ but _Senbonzakura_ never cut her despite she grabbed his blades. Their love was this deep, down to the level of their inner world.  one of her zanpakutou, ‘ _Ikazuchi no kami’_ has made his presence giving them blessings, when he declared his arrival in form of thunders in clouds when _Senbonzakura_ showed his loyalty to his master and did not cut Kiyomi as she grabbed those blades. Her second zanpakutou, ‘ _Ameotoko’_ , however, didn’t approve of Byakuya. He never showed his presence or signs to her, he didn’t even allow her to use his _shikai_.

Kiyomi told Byakuya that Urahara Kisuke was offered to be adopted as her brother into her clan the due to suggestion given by her father and Yoruichi san, which elders of fujiwara clan had denied it, exactly as Kisuke had predicted. Kisuke also had turned down both Fujiwara clan head and Yoruichi politely, telling that he did not want them to get into any trouble, as he knew about the clan’s politics and he would want to progress and be successful on his own terms.

Kisuke was smart. He had already noted the smallest changes in Byakuya’s behavior even before Byakuya confessed his love for Kiyomi and he did not take much time to draw out the conclusion that they have gotten together. He never said anything to Kiyomi. He knew her very well after all.

Kisuke Urahara soon was promoted to Captain’s position and after that he fulfilled his promise of visiting Kiyomi at fujiwara mansion. That day Kiyomi found out that he didn’t visit her before because he was not a noble and never would have gotten permission to come to mansion at his free will like that. Only after becoming captain he got the right of his own to visit her at mansion. Then, their friendship has gotten even stronger. They still had the weekend’s-get-together at her mansion, though they had become less frequent; they were as enjoyable as they had always been which now also included Kisuke as official member of the group. On his first visit, kisuke got the painting form Kiyomi as gift, where he himself was the person to be well portrayed in painting.

Kiyomi could not be happier, she had her friends, parents by her side, she had become a powerful shinigami and most important she had found love……

 

 


	5. The Missing people and broken trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiyomi is sent on a 20-year mission, Urahara and Yoruichi along with few others disappear from Soul Society while she is away. Kiyomi gets a new friend in the World of the living. But While she is away another bad thing happens. when she returns she is met with bad news and betrayal.

Kiyomi was being trained for the special mission she had been assigned to.

The first phase of training got completed when she had mastered to sustain her consciousness while using her shikai, she had better control of her reiastu while fighting now and it took almost 3 months for the whole ordeal. Now she was to be trained by _Sou taichou_ himself. He had most power full zanpakutou in soul society. It was elemental type soul slayer, named ‘ _Ryuujin Jakka_ ’, the fire type zanpakutou was famous among _shinigamis_. He was no doubt the most powerful shinigami in soul society.

While in second phase, she had been told to avoid any battles and use of her  _zanpakutou_ outside the training grounds was strictly prohibited. She was also relived of her regular shinigami duties, training was indeed very exhaustive and she did not get to do any of her other  _reiastu_  consuming activities, she saw byakuya only during evening and sometimes in the time after dinner, they used to see each other secretly with Soura's help. Soura also became friends with Byakuya.

The second phase took about another 4 months and kiyomi was finally assessed to be ready for mission. She was given two days for resting and packing her things for heading out for the said mission, she needed to collect information and devices she had to use when she would be in the World of the Living. She had been forbade to make contact while she was in the Dimension of Hell, only when she was supposed to be in the real world she was permitted to contact Squad 1 and that too only  case of emergencies. Small group of people was assigned as her squad to assist her mission. They were not from the _Gotei 13_ but trained specially for the mission so she did not know them. Captain Ukitake was told to be joining her squad for first week as to set up few things before the main event. She tried to spend most of her time in those two days with byakuya.

\-----------

Today was the day when kiyomi would head to mission.

Kiyomi, Byakuya, her squad of 8 people, Captain Ukitake, his third seats, Captain Unohana and her vice-captain Isane, Captain Urahara, Captain Yoruichi, Soi fon, Captain  Kyouraku, Aizen were all gathered at formal  _senkai_ gate.

Kiyomi and byakuya were standing close to each other and whispering while talking so that nobody could hear them and figure out that they are in fact together.

“You know, when you told me about the mission and the period of minimum 20 years was required for mission, whole day I could not stop thinking about the fact that you would be gone for that long, how was I supposed to accept not seeing you for these many years! We were friends back then. And now that we are together, it’s been killing me form inside. Kiyomi, how am going to survive?” Byakuya said with soft voice but stoic face. He was staring at the crowd keeping his usual cold demeanor but he was so troubled on inside. His Reiastu, though masked, was so unstable and giving small spikes of uneasiness which did not go unnoticed by Kiyomi standing next to him.

“It’s the same here Byakuya, you remember, that day I asked you to have lunch with me, I was indeed figuring out what I was upset about. Now I know the reason, US” she replied softly avoiding looking at him and staring at the floor. Byakuya slipped his hand inside the pocket of his pants and took out something.

“I wanted to give this to you Kiyomi” Byakuya handed her a beautiful white bracelet with  _skakura_  petals as a design on it.

“It’s beautiful Byakuya, it very much reminds me of Senbonzakura. And it will remind me of you. I am going to miss you both” she said smiling, finally looking at her lover. Her eyes were glassy. He nodded and said, “Go on and wear it. It would look more beautiful in your hands love.” She simply thanked him and wore the bracelet, it looked graceful as all the gifts Byakuya has given her. She kept staring at it for a while. The chattering and noises of people talking were long forgotten, the memories of the time she had spent with Byakuya were flashing by her vision, clouding her mind. The very much cherished moments, his praising words soothing her ears, his arms holding her possessively, his eyes giving her warmth and love, his hand holding her own firmly when they walked together, these thoughts were breaking her resolve and she was feeling weak. She closed her eyes for a moment and fought back the tears. She opened her eyes and glanced at the crowd in front of them so as to take her mind off of Byakuya. She spotted Soura in them; she gave Kiyomi a sad smile.

After few silent moments....

“Byakuya, I have one request”

“Ohh!, Why use such a word my love!!” he said glancing at her.  “Request?” He whisper exclaimed closing his eyes and furrowing his black brows, “You have right to order me, you know! Just say it and I will do it” He said now turning his head to look at Kiyomi and smirking only for her to see. She smiled back and shook her head.

“Byakuya! The thing is I have helped Soura find her sister in past but when I joined _Gotei_ 13 and became 3 rd seat, that became very hard and my efforts actually lessened. After realizing that I had promised her that I would help find Rukia again but now I have to go away for long time. Would you help her, Byakuya?”

“I will, if that’s what you want. We are friends with her and she had helped us after all.” he said passively.

“Thanks, the last she had seen her, it was in  _‘Inuzuri’_. It’s very difficult place to survive for a child Byakuya! .........[Sigh]…….  _rukongai_  is too big to search. Byakuya, I hope we find Rukia one day, the guilt Soura lives with going to kill her if this continues” Kiyomi looked upset. Byakuya could see that she was upset for more than one reason. He wanted to hold and tell her not to worry much.

He nodded at her statement, came closer to hold a hand but soon realized what he was about to do and avoided it none the less. Byakuya reluctantly stopped himself from wrapping his hands around her and cleared his throat,

“So, you are not supposed to contact anybody here during the mission, that’s sad, how will we..”

Byakuya's lines were cut off by Yoruichi, “Yo…kiyomi, take this jacket, I asked Kisuke to make this, it would be good to use while in battle, best of luck for mission! It’s about time, we would be starting procedure” she gave her a tight hug.

“Best of luck, kiyomi-san, be careful, I am sure you would succeed” Said none other than Kisuke Urahara after Yoruichi freed Kiyomi form her death grip and he gave kiyomi a bear hug, which made her eye’s go wide. He had never done this before but she regained her composure and awkwardly tried to hug him back, Byakuya was glaring at Urahara.

"Now, Now, Byakuya San, Please don't scare me like that, I know Kiyomi san is your girlfriend and her true happiness lies with you, but she is like a sister to me you know. Please.......... all of us are going to miss her too, you know" Kisuke kun said whispering and still keeping Kiyomi in a hug, smiling at Byakuya. 

"Thank you Kisuke kun now let go please, you are making me feel awkward" Kiyomi said said in similar low voice. He let her go and made a sad face for a moment before giving his signature carefree smile.

“Kiyomi san, I want you to wear this necklace when you will exit the  _senkaimon_  in real world, it’s designed to conceal your reiastu, it would be helpful, the blue pendant is the one with the trick, It has to be in contact with your skin for it to work” he said smiling and handing over her a silvery while necklace having midnight blue pendant, all tangled up as if had been carelessly put in pocket for quite some time. She nodded and kept it in her robe.

Others too wished her luck one by one and the gate started to open. Her squad was to head first, the procedure started for placing the special kido on them so that they would not affect the normal souls in living world and squad would be able to sustain the harsh conditions in the hell, similar was done to Kiyomi. The procedure got completed. They started leaving and jumping in the gate one by one, Kiyomi waved at everybody and glanced at Byakuya and nodded, he returned the gesture. Kiyomi also ran to the gate with heavy heart.

She was about to jump into the gate when Byakuya flash stepped to her, griped her wrist and pulled her flush to his chest and hugged her real tight. She hugged him back; this was first ever gesture of public affection he had offered her. Her eyes were glassy, tears threatening to fall out. Only when he wiped one from her left chick she came to know she actually had started crying. Byakuya could not control himself and he pulled Kiyomi in a passionate kiss before she could understand what was happening. She was overwhelmed and kissed him back eagerly.  

Gasps were heard, Yoruichi and Shunsui were whistling, Urahara and most others were clapping. Ukitake had an idea that they had in fact gotten together but he still couldn’t help but feel shocked and devastated. Aizen was standing at the back of the crowd near Soi fon and Unohana Taichou, he was glaring at Byakuya and cursing him in his mind. He could not as much as flinch while in the presence was all these people. The outburst of Byakuya had surprised everybody but he knew already that they were dating secretly; he had trailed them many times. That Kiss could not provoke any reaction form him or even a raise in eyebrows on Aizen’s face. It did not go unnoticed by Unohana Taichou but her attention also was on the beautiful young couple in front of her.

They broke the passionate and heated kiss for catching breath.

“kiyomi…..I love you. I will wait for you here.  But don't take too long, ok love? Bye for now” Byakuya said softly only for Kiyomi to hear. He was looking into her big glassy green eyes, his slate gray orbs conveyed all the emotions and love he had for her.

Kiyomi was in tears; she nodded but could not say a word. He nodded back as if to say ‘I understand’. She hugged him again and whispered “love you too Byakuya. Bye” and then turned and jumped in gate without looking back, Byakuya Flash stepped form the area in an instant, nowhere to be seen by anybody present there. Ukitake _taichou_ stood there bewildered but jumped into the gate after receiving a jab on his arm from Kyouraku and the Gate closed. While running through the pathway, Ukitake kept a polite distance form Kiyomi. He knew she needed some time alone to think and clean her head. He made his resolve of never to word his feelings to her and dump them deep into his mind somewhere.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

News of the events that unfolded near the _senkaimon_ the other day involving Byakuya and Kiyomi spread like a wild fire. Everybody was talking about famous handsome young kuchiki and beautiful kiyomi. Their fan clubs were not happy. Clan elders started bugging byakuya to proceed for marriage. Current head of the clan, Genrei Kuchiki was happy for them. He has always wanted kiyomi to be byakuya’s bride, right from the start when he had noticed her potential and her personality. He had spoken to her about it some months back, now he just would have to talk to her parents. She was perfect girl for Byakuya in Kuchiki Genrei’s opinion.

He met fujiwara clan elders and Kiyomi’s parents to ask about their view on the matter; they were also happy about the news and agreed to ask kiyomi for the marriage. Her mother was happy too, she wanted nothing more than her daughter to be happy. Kuchiki clan was also one of top most noble clan, and the idea of the union of two powerful clans’ most promising youngsters was amazing. Byakuya was considered soul society’s one of most eligible bachelors, he was handsome, powerful and most importantly in love with her daughter.

But this all, would have to wait for her to come to soul society again.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**About 9 years 3 months after Kiyomi left _Seireitei_ along with her Squad**

**Kiyomi’s POV**

Me and remaining squad returned to the world of the Living after fighting the sinners, we had lost a member in battle, everybody was in bad shape, my reiastu was unstable, I had many wounds, two were serious and the blood loss was causing my vision to blur. Just before going to dimension of ‘hell’, we had made our hideout in forest near ‘Karakura’ town which was our new destination at that time. We had kept barrier around the base of our operations, this particular town had many people with strong reiastu. We all somehow made to our temporary base and collapsed. Two of us were in life threading situation, I was not position to treat them with my reiastu. I tried to get up reach them only to collapse on the cold ground again. Memories of time spent with Byakuya flooded back before I blacked out where I had collapsed.

After few hours, I woke up to find myself on futon. I had bandages over my wounds, the injuries on my left arm and head were almost healed, the injury in stomach which caused the blood loss was all stitched up and well bandaged, there was warm cloth on my forehead. ‘If Byakuya sees me like this he will set fire to whole world’ I thought smiling to myself and I tried to sit up,

“Please shinigami san, stay still”

A soft, small voice said form left side; I tuned to see a girl, around 12, petite, pale skin, warm brown eyes and straight, brown, shoulder length hair, wearing uniform of some kind.

“How can you see me? Did you take care of me?” she nodded.

“ _Arigato na_ [thank you] You have some _reiastu_ , but it’s not like us _shinigami_  or humans, hollows or sinners, why is that, would tell me?”

“I am a ‘mod-soul’………Oh!………I mean a modified soul, but please don’t tell other  _shinigami_  people with you, I don’t know how can you sense my  _reiastu_ , because I have masked it. No one would be able to tell that I am mod-soul”

“A modified soul!!! But how did you survive? Is it a  _Gigai_  [fuax body] that you have?”

“No, I was in the form of pill, when they decided to destroy us, I was one of few who survived and was put in to boxes of the soul-candy. This body belongs to girl who was killed by huge hollow, when a shinigami was taking the candy, it accidentally slept into this body due to the forceful attack experienced by  _shinigami_. She was thrown away still in  _‘gigai’_  and candy slept into dead girl’s mouth. That’s how I got this body, after that the hollow killed the _shinigami_ , I couldn’t do anything as this body is really weak and abused, I just hid myself from the scene and masked my  _reiastu_. I have healing powers and I am good at hand to hand combat but ..” she stopped talking as the door of the room opened suddenly to reveal few of the squad members.

“Fujiwara _Shushou_ [team captain], are you alright” members form my squad were also conscious by now and they came to see if I was alright. I nodded and they went to rest and prepare meal for us.

“I am kiyomi fujiwara, it’s nice to meet you little girl and I would like to thank you again”

“It is alright, I came to know the name of the girl whose body I am in, was ‘Yasuko’ and you can call me by that name if you want. I don’t have a name anyways. Please, don’t tell anybody that I am a mod-soul.”

“I won’t tell don’t worry! Why are you so upset?”

“How can they just create us for fun and decide to destroy us when they seem fit without our say in it. Why to create such a thing in first place!! We are just cursed, I wish that I would not have survived” She said looking down.

“It must be some reason behind it; I promise that i would help you. What admirable is that you hate soul society but you still helped us, some of us would not have survived if not have gotten the treatment you so kindly provided in nic of time. You are so kind. You must not think that 'you are cursed or whatever'. Want to be my friend? ” I said looking at her, smiling.

She smiled brightly and nodded gently. She had tears at corners of her eyes.

“Then how about I give you a name?”

“Really!! But I am just a mod-soul”

“Well, not quite, you are my friend too” She blinked at me and just stared at me.

“How about, ‘Atsuko’?” She was indeed a kind and warm child. That’s why I thought of the name.

“I like it, thank you, Fujiwara san”

We talked about many things, she told me about Karakura town and she said there was a shop, where we could get the needed accessories,  _gigai’s_  if we want. She told me many new things about The world of the living. She told me that there has been pattern in hollow attacks recently. Their  _reiastu_  has been slightly different form before. Whole squad met Atsuko and thanked her. We had our food together.

I got familiar with the human life even more; I came to realize that there were good and kind people like Atsuko and there were bad persons, disturbing peace in the Human World. Humans have sufferings even worse than souls in rukongai. I had seen it all, traveling form one place to another, staying in different cities we had been living before so far. There were people hurting other innocent people for money, parents abusing their children, husbands abusing their wives, people killing others for trivial matters, stealing things, overpowering and beating poor, defenseless people and so on. Karakura was not a different one.

Atsuko told me she too like every other mad-soul, wanted to live, become a part of a family, so she went to girl’s place where Yasuko lived, she had a step-dad, she was not familiar with the concept and soon found out that every day after getting drunk he used to beat the hell out of the girl. He was a sadist. Her mother was in hospital as she had a health issue. Even being normal Human, the girl Yasuko was alone, she had no friends in school either, everybody used to make fun of her because she was too short, she was 15 looked 12, she had scares all over her body, some visible ones on hands and legs. She used to cover all up with long and baggy clothes. People called her creepy. After finding out how horrible the life of the Human whose body she had been in, Atsuko had ran into forest. She was disappointed and started living alone, occasionally fighting hollows until we came.

Two days after we came back from the dimension of hell, we started collecting data for next operation, all of us were healed and were ready to execute next job. I requested to contact Squad 1 and got the authorization for communication. The call would be connected from _Seireitei_ ; I waited for them to connect the line. The device started beeping and the image came up, it was indeed live. I could see Sou taicho sitting on his chair in his office, Sasikibe Fuk taichou and Ukitake san standing near him.

“Fujiwara Kiyomi Reporting to Squad 1”

“Kiyomi san, how is it going? _Sou Taichou_ is waiting for the report” Came the gentle voice of Ukitake san as soon at connection established.

“Everything is going as per plan Ukitake san. It’s very nice to see you all!” I smiled at him and continued

“I am glad to report that we have successfully completed phase 1 _sou-taichou_! We would collect data in two days and head out for the dimension of hell, again”

“Good work, kiyomi fujiwara. You are to complete the work at Karakura on priority basis and make your base somewhere else; I don’t want you and your squad fighting with the hollows there. There have been strange activities going on there in Karakura and we would be sending _shinigami_ troops over there. I don’t want them to run into you people. You are not to contact soul society until phase 2 and phase 3 are over as discussed in past. For phase 4, you would receive a backup after you contact me. Keep in mind; don’t share any information about this with anybody.”

“ _Hai, sou taichou_ , I have a matter to discuss other than Mission _Soi Taichou_.”

“What is it?”

“Can I bring one friend of mine form this world to Seireitei when I come back? She saved two of our people, she is a potentially great healer and would be useful in Squad 4 but she is not a shinigami.”

“We would assess the abilities of the soul you are telling about after you come here. You may bring her here. Is that all?”

“ _Hai, Sou taichou_. Thank you very much!”

“You are dismissed” with that connection broke.

At least I got to see Ukitake san, he looked pale and disturbed but was smiling none the less.

I gave directions to squad; we went to all different directions for collecting data and samples. I completed my task and took Atsuko and we headed for the candy shop she had mentioned.

It was around mid-day when we went to the shop. It was your average traditional Japanese shop with name, ‘Urahara Shoten’………wait!! What?

‘Urahara’, no that’s impossible, why would ‘HE’ be here, I mean, two people can have same names,…

Train of my thoughts stopped when I sensed kisuke kun’s Reiastu somewhere inside the shop. So, ‘it is HIM, what is going on?’ I stood there dumb folded for a moment.

‘Was he too on some kind mission? Wait! _Sou taicho_ DID say I am not to contact any _shinigami_ he had sent here. What should I do? I can’t disobey the direct order, I need to leave now. As it is he can’t detect my  _reiastu_ , due to the necklace he himself had gifted me when I left all those years back.’

“Sorry, Astuko, we can’t go in there, let’s go back for now.”

I took Atsuko by hand and lifted her over my shoulder and ran back form the shop. Only when I reached at what I thought was a safe distance I stopped and hid behind a huge White building. We waited for minutes…

‘I don’t know what I am doing standing here like this, why I want to see him. Was it really him? Is there any other  _shinigami_ here with him? Yoruichi, soi fon??? Ohh!! _Sou-taichou_ should have sent Byakuya here, at least I could have got to see him, though form distance. I MISS HIM badly’ I thought closing my eyes and picturing him standing in garden holding out hand for me to take.

“Look _Nee san_! He came out, the guy in bucket cap and weird stick I told up about!” Atsuko said and I had to open my eyes.

Door was open and Kisuke came out, he was looking in sky, ‘what is he wearing? Hat looks good on him though’, then a black cat came in front of shop. I detected a weird  _reiastu_  coming from it. It was different. ‘Hmm!! Kisuke and his experiments!’ I thought.

“That’s it Atsuko, we are leaving”

“Why Nee san, do you know him?”

“Yes I do and my orders won’t allow me to talk to him. You have to promise me that you won’t say a word to him about me coming in this town or about any of the squad members for that matter, if you met him.”

“I Promise.” She said raising her right in air.

We went back. We completed the data collection and were to head to different town, I took the soul candy out of the body of that girl, put it in plushy found I near river of Karakura town, it worked. She had a body she could use. We left Karakura and went to different city along with Atsuko.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**12 years 3 months after Kiyomi left Karakura with Atsuko**

**Kiyomi’s POV**

‘Finally the mission was over and we were going back home, to soul society! I had missed my parents, my friends, Mischievous and playful Yoruichi, laid back but intelligent Kisuke Kun, Cold and curt Soi fon, gentle and caring Ukitake san, Humble and loyal Soura, calm and wise Aizen san, most importantly my love – my handsome, powerful, loving, possessive, short tempered boyfriend Byakuya, my sweet home, my piano, my lazy sake-loving captain and sharp caring vice-captain, I missed  _seireitie.’_

We ran forward through _Dangai_ [Precipice World] to soul society, we could see white light coming from the rectangular opening at the end of the road. With each step towards the Soul Society my excitement was increasing. My Reiastu was flaring but the pendent had kept it undetectable. I could not wait to run on my feet, I wanted to flash step directly to Byakuya’s arms and surprise him, nobody there in _Seireitei_ knew that we were in fact coming back home.

We finally made it out of the  _senkaimon_ and we were stopped by the guards, they were asking for our names and permissions to enter. They did not know us; it was quite obvious as it had been more than 21 years since I was last spotted in Seireitei as official Gotei 13 member. I was inwardly mad at them as I was excited to see all those who I have missed all these years but still I had to stick to the procedures and I kept my cool while I demanded them to let us go to the squad 1. They contacted squad 1 and got ordered by Squad 1 _fuk taichou_ to take us to squad 1 immediately and to apologize to me. They did what they were told to and we all were escorted to squad 1 after we got a formal apology from the gate keepers.

I just wanted to get it all over with as early as possible and wanted to run to Squad 6 as I already had spotted Byakuya’s Reiastu in there. I gave all the data collected by my unit and the reports to _sou- taichou_ , I was standing there thinking about ‘what would be byakuya’s reaction after seeing me! Oh! I can’t wait to see him’. He overlooked the final report,

“Good work Fujiwara Kiyomi! You all did better than expected. Due to unforeseen circumstances the Gotei 13 had to face, it was not possible to send you a backup but you still managed to perform well, only sustained two causalities, mission was huge success and I am pleased with all of you and I would like to say that all the training you have been put through was not at all waste. I am proud of you Fujiwara Kiyomi!” he said in his gruff and deep voice.

“Thank you, _Sou Taichou_ ” I bowed, smiled.

“I suppose you have attained your bankai as per our discussion last time. There is change in your  _reiastu._ You have masked it well but I still can sense it”

“Hai, _Sou-taichou,_ I have not masked it, it’s this Pendent which makes it undetectable. To be honest, I am surprised by _Sou-Taichou’s_ abilities as always. Please train me again, Sir”

“Hmm, I would like to. Kiyomi fujiwara, you are to take the exam for ‘kido corps Commander and grand kido chief’ along with the exam for vice-captain of Onmistukido [secret tactics] to assist Soi fon from 2nd squad”

It took some moments for his words to sink in and my brain to analyse what he had said, I was shocked.   ‘Why was I put into squad 2? Why should I be taking the exam of Kido corps commander? Isn’t Tessai san commander of that division? It’s not even the part of Gotei 13. Why I have to leave Gotei 13? He said my performance was excellent then why I was reaped off of my position?”

“ _demo_ [but], sou-taicho!!” He cut my sentence off with,

“Lot of things have happened in 21 years, you may want to catch up with what the current situation is. I would like to recommend you to visit division 8, in fact go there right now, get all information, you will take exam next month, be prepared. You will help Kyouraku shunsui till then. You are dismissed”

“Hai, _Sou Taichou_ ”

I left squad 1 in a rush, I wanted nothing more than go to Byakuya and surprise the senses out of him but something in my guts told me to go and see Shunsui _Nii san_ after hearing all that from _Sou Taichou_ , so reluctantly I ran to division 8.

I knocked on door of the captain’s office. No one answered. I stood there for some minutes and was thinking about what to do next but our 7th seat was passing by, he noticed me. He bowed, welcomed to  _seieitei_ and told me that our captain was in 13th division. I flash stepped to Ukitake-san’s office. I met  _Kiyone_ , she told me that both the best friends were having tea. ‘Just like old times’ I thought and nodded. I knocked on door.

“Please come in” It was Ukitake san’s gentle voice. ‘If it was byakuya’s office, I would definitely have heard a sharp, emotion-less voice ‘Enter’’, I thought and then smiled at his memory. I entered the room, I very happy to see both of them; after going in I formally bowed so as to mock them,

“Hello, Ukitake taichou, Shu-nii-san, how are y…?”

Before I could complete my sentence, Shunsui-nii-san came and hugged me as if I was his long lost daughter. He literally was crying silent tears. I really felt like my brother Eita is hugging me, I felt overwhelmed and I shaded a few tears as well then laughed a thank you to him. When his exclamations of ‘my kiyomi chan came back’ were over, I could spare glance at Ukitake san. He was up from his seat and his tea was all fallen over his  _shihakusho_  [black garment of death god’s uniform] and white colored captain’s  _haori_. I felt bad for his uniform which was all messed by the green liquid. He was just looking at me, with wide eyes and his eyebrows all up, nowhere to be seen due to his bangs of white hair.

“Ukitake-san, your  _shihakusho_ and  _haori_ is all messed up _._ I am sorry; I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you all right?”

He just nodded and excused himself to run inside the office.

When Shunsui Nii san got settled and stopped shading his silent tears, I told him that I had come recently and had reported to _Sou Taichou._

“Shu-nii-san, head commander has told me that I am to take the exam for head of kido corps and vice-captain of secret tactics division. When I asked why he told me to ask you about what happened while I was gone. Why is that? Lisa-chan was not there in the office neither were her belongings, I was out for mission for 20 years and all of my things are there in her office. I don’t understand.”

He got all serious; I had never seen him like this before, ever. He covered his eyes with his straw hat, rest his elbow on hilts of his swords;

“Mii-chan, it would take more than a sentence to tell you where she went and why yama-ji said those things to you, come please seat.” He sighed and sat down motioning me to sit beside the seat Ukitake-san was sitting in. The seat beside Shu-nii-san was filled with all stacks of papers, which I identified as our divisions papers. They were all filled. ‘So he came here to do paper work!!’

Ukitake san came out wearing clean cloths and sat beside me, Shunsui-taichou started telling me what happened, I just couldn’t believe my ears, never once, not in dreams I would believe that Kisuke would experiment and perform so called ‘hollowfication’ like that on somebody, let alone his fellow captains and vice-captains, his own vice-captain. He told me that kisuke was accusing Aizen for what happened and that there were more than 120 people who claimed to have seen Aizen in his quarters of division 5 on the night when it all happened, the  _kido_  corps commander had helped him and used forbidden kido tricks. They left soul society approximately 12 and half years back as per his explanations, that’s when I had seen him in Karakura Town when I was on the mission, I regretted not talking to him,

“Yoruichi san also have disappeared, she never said goodbye to any one, not even to Soi fon, all those who had been experimented on, were indeed had tuned to hollows including our lisa-chan. They were to be killed as it’s the kind we shinigami are sworn to kill and purify. But they all disappeared. My guess is Kisuke knows what happened to them, Yoruichi helped them escape chambers of central 46.”

He told me everything that has happened after they left. Third, ninth, seventh divisions were in chaos, kido corps had lost both the commander and lieutenant and Soi fon was too young to handle both units and division 2 own with their leader and third seat gone.

That was hell of lot to take in. I had just returned from terrifying mission. I felt overwhelmed hearing all those things. I regretted not going to Byakuya first. I tried to reach out to his spirit ribbon but I could sense him falter when he felt me catching it, I dropped it in an instant and came back to reality. I didn’t know what to think anymore. I closed my eyes, my head started spinning, I hold my head with both hands. I have not even had any food in excitement of coming home, seeing byakuya and many things….but these all things were just too much for me to handle…

“Kiyomi-san, are you all right?” Ukitake san, who was just beside me asked in very caring tone.

There were lot of emotions inside me now, I could not hold them inside, I was sad that all these people had suffered, felt bad for Shunsui-nii-san, angry at kisuke and Yoruichi for not trying to take help of allies, happy that I have returned so that I can solve the case myself, confused why Ukitake san had reacted that way when I came in his office, depressed that I cannot see Yoruichi san, kisuke kun and lisa-chan anymore, annoyed at mission and time frame that had it happened within, aaaaargh!!! I opened my eyes, but spinning grew wilder.

I felt my center of gravity sift as my body moved forward, my brain losing control over it, I could feel myself falling to the hard surface of table, I close my eyes and mentally braced for impact, that never came. A pair of strong and warm arms held me in position, I opened my eyes to see, Ukitake san, looking at me worried, I still was feeling dizzy and blacked out in his arms.

**Ukitake’s POV**

“Kiyomi san, are you all right?” I asked her, she was staring in air, I could not make what was she thinking, her face was straight but her eyes were troubled, I knew it was hard on her. She just had returned form mission, she looked all tired when she came in office. I did embarrass myself in front of her though, what was I thinking, acting like a school teen. She closed her eyes and held her head in her hands as if to order her own brain to stop thinking. I felt bad for her.

The moment she opened her eyes, they rolled and went back of her head. I was worried soon she started falling down to table, my hands moved as if they had mind of their own and grabbed her to hold in position on her seat. I knew all my face felt warm, I told my brain that ‘she is not well. Please just stop thinking like love stuck puppy for a minute’ but I could not help but blush looking at her in my arms. She opened her eyes again, I could see them clearly now, they were so beautiful up close. There was hurt in her eyes before she blacked out, closed her eyes and collapsed on my chest.

“I think she did not take that well, I am worried for her Juu, what about when she will see Byakuya?”

“I don’t want her to get anymore hurt than she already is; I am going to talk to byakuya for her, Shunsui. I better lay her on futon, could you ask Kiyone to call Hanatarou or any squad 4 officers for me?” Shunsui nodded and went outside.

I sneaked an arm below her knees and picked her up bridal style, went inside and laid her on futon gently. Her eyes were closed but there was scowl on her face bows were furrowed together. I tucked her inside the blanket and opened window. I stood by window for some minutes then looked at her again, her face was now relaxed and brows were normal. I never knew when my legs moved and I reached over to the futon and I just could not control myself I went closer to her and planted a kiss on her forehead. I pulled back but I was leaning over her, my hands were both sides of her sleeping form.

“I am sorry Kiyomi san, you had to go through all this. I am sorry I could not help you. I wish I could help you now. Be brave Kiyomi san, what you have heard so far is nothing compared to what you are about to know. I wish I could have stopped him, I wish I could have told you how I felt before he even got a chance to come closer to you!”

I sensed Kyouraku and Hanatarou’s reiastu approaching the room and I stood up from my position. They came in and Hanatarou started treating her.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was doing my paperwork, when I felt some activity inside the room behind me, I stopped writing when door opened and kiyomi-san came out,

“Ukitake-san, I am sorry to pass out on you like that and that too, in the middle of the conversation, I am really sorry.” She was looking down, I wanted nothing more than to hug her and comfort her, her face was normal and she was looking ok, but her voice was full of sadness and hurt, I could feel her broken.

“Kiyomi-san, please do not apologize, If I would be there in your situation, I would have reacted the same way. You had just come from mission and that was all to take at once. Are you feeling all right now?” she looked different than she looked before she went for mission, her hair was too long and braided neatly, her  _kenseikan_ [an ornament, noble people wear, in hair as sign of nobility]was absent, she was thinner and she has become paler but she looked beautiful even like this.

“Yes, thank you for taking care of me” she said smiling; I knew it was fake smile.

“Would you like to have tea and snacks, please I insist that you have it now; there is no food in your system.” I said, begging her mentally to say yes.

“Ok” she nodded.

We had tea and snacks. I told her many things to try to cheer her up, I gave her chocolates I had bought from the World of the Living. I took her to garden, we sat beside the koi pond for a while in silence, it was evening and sun was low in horizon. I didn’t want her to go yet but I had nothing to say to make her stay here and I knew it was just matter of time that she would go and talk to Byakuya. I wanted to take all her pain away but I was helpless. And so was the situation.

“Ukitake san, I would like to take your permission to leave now, thank you for taking care of me. Thank God some things never change, as do some people, you are just the same, gentle, caring and dependable Ukitake san. Just like the way you were when I left seireitie for mission all those years ago. Thank you again, Ukitake san.”

“I would always be there,Kiyomi san. Umm…..Would you like to have dinner here today? Shunsui is also coming over, we could call Nanao san and Unohana san if you would like!!” I asked to change the topic.

“You are worried that I cannot take what byakuya has to say to me, right?” she said, I was shocked to hear that, ‘how did she know? She was sad and exhausted all the time and slept half the time she was here’. I could not make what to conclude of this.

“ _Ikazuchi_  told me. When I am unconscious, he takes over onto himself to scout the area in materialized form and he mostly goes invisible, so he roamed around when I was resting, he told me that Byakuya is no more the Byakuya like what I remember him. He also met Senbonzakura who told him what happened in details which he won’t tell me.  _Ikazuchi_  is very stubborn. _Ameotoko_ has always criticized byakuya! He never liked him. He likes you though, he told me what you said to me while I was unconscious and you two would be great friends but he is not people person you know. You wished you could not have let this happen, you wished that you could have stopped Byakuya and you wished that you could help me now. _Ameotoko_ told me. He heals me every time, but some wounds are not supposed to be healed.” I never knew she could do that, I mean she had mysterious zanpakutou but.. She sounded so broken and hurt. I knew this was coming.

“I am sorry the things turned out like that kiyomi san”

“It’s ok. After all we can’t neither change the past nor our fate.” I nodded.

“Kiyomi-san, I would like to walk you home or wherever you are going to. You are not yet fully recovered and you have to promise that when you reach home, you would take proper rest.” She nodded.

“You worry too much, Ukitake san! Well, let us head out to division 6 then, _Ikazuchi_ said he was in his office”

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**Kiyomi’s POV**

In squad 6 barracks, people were shocked to see me, they bowed respectfully and welcomed me, I nodded and headed to the office of their vice-captain Byakuya, knocked on door and came the emotionless voice, “enter”, I knew him too well.

Ukitake san nodded and said his good bye. I went inside,

“Hello, kuchiki _fuk taichou_ ” I said in equally monotone voice.

He looked up from the paperwork he was doing, he dropped the pen down and hurried to me. He stood in front of me and looked at me keenly, as if to make sure it was me. ‘Did really I look that different?’ I thought.

He grabbed my shoulders with his hands, “Kiyomi, when did you get back?”

“This afternoon, I submitted reports and had meeting in squad 1, then I was told to meet my Taichou to catch up and he was in 13th division so I went there, they told me every that happened about incident involving kisuke kun, Yoruichi kun, all the other disappearances and everything other minor details. I was not in condition to take all this in the first place so collapsed due to exhaustion, they took care of me and here I am! I am yet to visit my home, thought I should say hello to you first. So, how you have been, Byakuya?”

“I should be the one asking ‘how you have been?’ Come seat” he said. He sounded different. I thought he would take me crushing hug and kiss me right away. He does not know that i have found out that he is not been loyal to me. But shouldn’t he say something about it. Is he not happy to see me? We could always talk about that thing afterwards! Solve the matter later. I was desperate to get a hug from him. ‘ Why was he so cold? Does he not want me anymore! Really? What we had, was over?’

“No, I had tea and some food at 13th squad, actually I should be going home, and father would be worried I already had sent a messenger to inform him, I just wanted to see you. I missed you a lot, I was so eager to come back and see you, i am happy now, that you are OK and not disappeared along with those people.” He was looking at me. I knew I could not control my feelings. The pain written all over his face and my eyes were glassy too, I looked away from him, stared at ground.

“I guess, I will see you around” I said and opened the door and flash stepped before he could stop me.

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I went home and my parents welcomed me with warm hugs. I took a nice long bath when I tough how to handle a situation I was in with byakuya. ‘What is wrong Byakuya? Why won’t you talk to me?’ was all I was thinking while I took bath. There was different girl who was helping me instead of Soura, I asked about her to my mother. I was told that she was ill and away for the medical attention. I had dinner with my mother and father. They talked with me, I felt so good to be with them but at the same time my heart was longing for Byakuya.

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After I had dinner with my parents, I went to my room to go to bed. I was still wearing a traditional Kimono that I had put on after the bath so that I could have a nice traditional Japanese dinner with my parents. I took out few layers of the heavy fabric and kept only innermost light blue silky one, wrapping it around my body with help of blue _Obi_ I threw myself on the bed. I was thinking about the news that that had brought me 20 years’ worth of pain and sorrow, I was thinking about byakuya,

‘Why did you do that Byakuya and why did you he admit it? What were you thinking?’

“Nee san? What are you thinking? You are thinking about your boyfriend na?”

“His name is Byakuya, Atsuko? Why won’t you call him by his name?”

“He made you sad. I don’t like him.” she said, she was still in the plushy of white rabbit.

“Don’t hate him Atsuko. He is very good person, I don’t know what exactly has happened! Only if he would tell me!”

“By the way nee san, You have really amazing house. I liked it here, I also liked that garden where we were, you know. When you were talking to old white haired man, I have sneaked out and wandered in that garden for some time. He seemed very nice. You know what he did when you had collapsed? He ….”

“Wait Atsuko, someone is there!” I had heard a rustle in curtains and reached out for my  _zanpakutou_  I took swords in my hands and took my stance.  It was none other than my friend Soura. She came out from behind the curtains of the balcony to show her face. Atsuko went back inside the pocket of my shinigami robe. Soura looked very pale like a ghost.

“Soura, why are you here? I thought you were in mansion’s medical center! You look horrible. What happened? You should not be wandering around in this condition. Go and take rest.” I scolded her. I was worried that she looked so pale and ill. She came a few steps nearer to me than her position which was nearly in balcony. She kneeled down there, in the middle of the room; putting her hands on ground and her face was down. She was staring at the ground when she spoke.

“Kiyomi sama, I am shameless _rukongai dog_ , nothing worthy of the attention you are giving me. I am…”

“SOURA!! Stop talking, right now!! I will not listen to such things. Now calm down and come sit with me. Come on let us talk” She used to talk like this when she came here first. She was polite and soft spoken. She used to help me and take care of me, I told her to address me by my name. She had turned me down politely saying that she was nothing more than a slave and is no worthy of being called as friend by a noble person. I had told her that she would be my friend at that time too and scolded her for talking such things about herself. I was feeling bad for her, I got worried and went over her kneeling form, I took her by her hand and made her sit beside me on my bed.

“How can you be so nice to me after what I have done?” She was crying now. Her already tear stained face was wet with fresh warm tears.

“What happened? I will help you in whatever it is. Now, tell me what is wrong? Why you look so ill and what that has to do with me? What you think you have done that should make me hate you?”

 

 


	6. Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiyomi finds out that Byakuya has cheated on Kiyomi with Hisana when she was gone  
> Kiyomi becomes upset and angry, Ukitake, Soi fon and Shunsui help her recover and Byakuya simply avoids her.   
> Something feels odd, Kiyomi notices that something is off with her spiritual power that makes her attack her friend Ukitake.  
> Hisana tries to commit suiside with similar type of Reiastu shift in her own soul and Unohana saves her.  
> Kiyomi becomes a Kido corpse commander.

**Kiyomi’s POV**

“I have done what a friend, a normal soul, a servant must never do, Kiyomi-sama, we were caught up in a weak moment. I have betrayed you. I have broken the sacred rule of friendship and I have hurt your heart, your pride, your honor. I had given in for my desire of…., I ….. [sob]……..I have stolen a happiness from my best friend’s life, I have …I ha.. [sob] ..Byakuya sama and me… …we did it behind … [sob] behind your back, we have wronged you…….[sob]….…..for mere the physical desires……., Kiyomi sama, nothing I can say to make you forgive me”

“Soura..”

I was choked on my words due to anger. I needed to listen,

“Go on! Tell me”

I spoke trying to sound normal but there was a sharp edge to my voice. I pulled tight my _reiastu_ to control my rage. I did not want to blast the mansion up; I took out the necklace form the pocket and wore it around my neck. There was a long silence. The wind tasted of despair and betrayal. I was angry at both of them, I felt furious, bitter, betrayed and hurt. I did not want to give her any sympathy because I had nothing to offer.  

“He told me that you had asked Byakuya-sama, to help me look for Rukia, we started going to _Rukongai_ to find her. I knew my place; I never should have gone with him even once. That day, there was group of hollows that attacked the place near the group of houses where we were searching. A loud cry made me run to child to save it. I took the child and started running to Byakuya sama, he saw me running and came to save me, he jumped above us and took hit for me and got badly hurt in the process. He …[sob]…. he defeated all hollows though he was injured, after that I tended his wounds, after some days when he was all recovered from injuries, he asked me to come to kuchiki manor and gave me kimono as gift.. [sob]… it all started that day, I should have stopped him that day only.”

With every word I felt the bitterness tighten, _reiastu_ getting thicker with rage. Inside my soul was hissing the snake of hateful betrayal that churned my guts. Those words of confession were needles cutting my skin from all sides.

 “One week after that he ....When we went searching for Rukia again…. With no success after vigorous searching I started crying from memories of Rukia. He suddenly picked me up, took me to forest flash stepping, you know how I react to _shupo_. I was all dizzy, … ….[sob]…he held me and kissed me, I should have stopped myself, I should have stopped him, I could not move all the time he was holding me,.. [sob], I dint not encourage him, but did not ….…”

“I don’t need to hear the rest. Please leave.” I yelled out before I could stop myself. I tuned to face my back at her.

I was so miserably failing to control myself, hands clenched to tighten my fist yet further, warm blood was drawn, tears were streaming down uncontrollably. I felt a hole punched right through my chest, I couldn’t keep my eye on her anymore. I looked away, I knew how it felt to be in his arms, I thought that feeling was mine and mine alone for experiencing. How naïve was I?  

My heart ached for his touch. I have longed for him all these years I was out, alone, living off of memories of him, going on without complaining for I knew once I completed the ordeal I had him for myself. I wanted to hug him and kiss him so badly when I set foot in soul society this afternoon. Now I am all broken from inside and don’t want to see him at all. Soura, my friend, I loved her like a sister, what in the soul society I did to deserve this, 

“Kiyomi-sama, I have no right to feel like crying because you might hate me and I know, I deserve that. I am terrible person, a very selfish person. I am not even worthy of being in your presence, I have no words to apologize, but…….. [sob]………. I am really very sorry...……. [sob]…..after that day, I have not seen him. I have not been out of this mansion. Kiyomi sama, I have always considered you as my best friend and you would be there in my heart till the day I die, whatever you decide to do now onward. I would be waiting for my judgment.” 

Soura or rather _Hisana_ left after that. I was so enraged, my _reiastu_ was going haywire. I knew if it wouldn’t have been for the necklace I would have definitely blown up half of the mansion now. The more I was thinking higher the _Reiastu_ went. Necklace also had started wearing off. It was getting hotter by the second. Heat was getting unbearable against my skin. I thought of going on _Soukyoku_ hill and release some of the _reiastu_.

“Nee san?” Came the worried and innocent voice of Atsuko. That somewhat helped me bring back to my senses. I was in no position to go out in those cloths.

“Atsuko, please I need to go out. Stay here, I will be back. I promise.” She nodded and I put on the robe placing her down on my bed and went away from the open balcony door flash stepping towards the large hill inside the _Seireitei_. I took out the necklace and as soon as the blue crystal lost contact with my fingers as I dropped it onto the ground, my blue electrifying Reiastu bloomed all over the hill. Ground started vibrating. It was more than I had anticipated. I gritted my teeth and picked up the blue crystal again. It started burning within seconds which made me hiss. I did the fasted flash steps like I had ever done before and ran to the forest. Soon I hit the woods; I came to a clearing by the river and took off the necklace. Similar effect was here, the clearing was destroyed in an instant. River water rose and droplets start whirling in air as if the air and the water were alive. I gave away a loud cry of pain as I ran _Ikazuchi_ though the huge rock in fort of me. Trees surrounding the clearing were all bent in direction opposite to mine giving a feel of a big crater. My blue _Reiastu_ with spiky thin thundering lines crackled in the dense forest, setting some trees on fire. I could not see the top of the _Reiastu_ beam that was emerging from my own body.

I did not know how to deal with this. The relationship and friendship built over trust and love over all these years was now tainted. I felt empty. I took Ameotoko and slashed across the same rock vertically. The attack released some of my Reiastu but it did not stop at rock but went to cut the mountain near the clearing into half. I tried to find solace in destroying forest, but even after all this devastation my fury, anger would not go away. I signed in defeat and sat on the rock I had cut down so mercilessly. I was trying to control my Reiastu and was failing miserably at it. The small rocks and other particles along with sand and water droplets now were in the air, as if my Reiastu was flowing through them.   

I never knew when Shunsui Nii san came and kept a hand on my shoulder when I was trying to get my Reiastu under control and glaring at ground, his voice came through all the noises the flowing particles and electricity in my reiastu were doing,

“Kiyomi chan, lets up blow off some steam!! _Ne?_ Come on, fight your _Onii-san_ [brother], for old times’ sake! Juushirou, would you set up the barrier, _Yamaji_ won’t be happy if we went all out, _ne?_ ” his voice was all serious and tone was similar to when he told me about lisa chan’s disappearance.

Ukitake-san moved and started chanting and putting up barrier. I knew I was not allowed to release such enormous _reiastu_ , but was not the mood to think about consequences. ‘I mean, C’mon can it…...’my thoughts were interrupted again,

“Kiyomi san!! My dear, at least look at me! I know you are upset, don’t go on killing your brother now! C’mon, do you know how much your _reiastu_ is right now, I knew you had good amount of _reiastu_ but I never knew its full limits and it still can go up when you go _bankai_ , ne?”

I never said anything, barrier set up by Ukitake san collapsed for third time. It was not like I was doing it purposely, I just couldn’t control it,

“Kiyomi chan, I have already lost many friends and lisa chan. I don’t want to lose anybody, especially you, I always want my little sister happy and safe. Please calm down now” he was dead serious and knew what to say to snap me out of the state I was in. It worked. I closed my eyes and concentrated on his _Reiastu_. His and Ukitake san’s _Reiastu_ was trying to envelop mine.

My _reiastu_ started decreasing; I started sensing all small other _reiastus_ which I had blocked out by my enormous one and the particles and water droplets in air started settling down. I was still looking down, eyes closed, face flushed with anger, blood dripping from palms due to clenching too violently. Both _Katanas_ in my hand were having a thin line of warm red blood flowing down form hilts in my hands to tip towards the ground to make a small puddle of blood. _Ikazuchi_ was standing behind me, I knew he looked very angry, similar to me and Ameotoko was floating in air and caressing my head with his cold finger tips, he was always the caring one,

“Hello there, _Ikazuchi_ kun _and Ameotoko_ kun, long time no see.” Shunsui-nii-san said, they nodded at him, he came in front of me and crouched down so as to look at my tear stained face, “kiyomi-Chan, let’s get you home, you don’t look so good, what you say boys?”

_Ikazuchi - full name, Ikazuchi no kami – means God of thunder, it is kiyomi’s first elemental Zanpakutou who presented himself first and she gained his shikai at the time of her training before the 20 year mission. It is a double aged sword when unreleased in shikai, He is aggressive and has power to send electrical surges through opponent’s body. He can be very chaotic and expressive, he wanders on his own when kiyomi is unconscious; he helped kiyomi achieve his shikai and bankai readily. He can attack and shield at the same time when in shikai. He can perform healing Kido like shinigami._

  _Ameotoko [means ‘spirit of rain’], it was water is Kiyomi’s second zanpakutou, it has been dormant for quite a while, a shy but extremely powerful Zanpakutou. He had told her that she was not ready to use his powers when she released Ameotoko in training, she had lost her consciousness several times, before training with Yamamoto Sou taicho, and he has unique healing abilities. He is calm, gentle and caring but also extremely reserved in nature. Ameotoko has not yet told Kiyomi about all of his powers._

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**Ukitake’s POV**

I sent a hell butterfly to _Sou Taichou_ telling ‘the situation was being taken care and the reiastu belonged to Kiyomi-san, it was due to her disturbed mental condition as we had predicted and not to send an army here.’

Shunsui finally managed to get her listen to us. She indeed had tremendous _reiastu_ that may very well be close to _Genryusai_ _Sensei_. I finally managed to put up barrier of level 2, as I was completing process; I sensed Aizen san’s reiastu approaching the scene. I glanced back over my right shoulder to find him standing just outside the barrier, having curious look on his face with Ichimaru Gin just behind him, standing within few feet’s distance. I motioned them to stay where they were and went to where Shunsui and Kiyomi san were. I could see a very tall and thin boy with spiky golden blond hair, bright yellow eyes and pale skin standing behind Kiyomi san with scowl his on face. There was another boy with strikingly bright blue eyes and shoulder length midnight blue hair, he was quite tall, may be as tall as me but he was floating in air, his face had worried expressions. He was running his hands through Kiyomi san’s hair as if to sooth her.

“Hello there, _Ikazuchi_ kun _and Ameotoko_ kun, long time no see.” Shunsui said, they nodded at him, he crouched down in front of Kiyomi san, “kiyomi-san, let’s get you home, you don’t look so good, what you say boys?” ‘Oh! Those were the _Zanpakutous_ , the one with golden hair and scary bright eyes must be _Ikazuchi_ and other one must be _Ameotoko’_

They were there, I did not see them before, never like this in humanoid form, as soon as approached, _Ameotoko_ in air went invisible. Other one was standing behind her, he looked so angry. He closed his eyes and went invisible again, Shunsui stood up and came over where I was,

“You see Juushirou, they are very shy so don’t mind, you haven’t seen them before, have you?”

I shook my head to say ‘no’.

“The one who was floating was _Ameotoko_ kun, he is real shy boy. He never appears in front of anybody and his reiastu is different from all zanpakutou, so you can’t track him and for our _Ikazuchi_ kun, I would just say that you never want to get on his bad side” He said smiling sheepishly and he turned his head to look at kiyomi san, who was now looking at us. She looked very hurt and broken, her face was stained form tears she must have been shading, I felt angry and furious at Byakuya. I had to control my feelings so that my _reiastu_ won’t give away my anger.

“Onii san, how many times do I have to tell you, don’t give away my secrets like that, people use them to stab you from back, I don’t mind you telling Ukitake san but there are other people here, _Ikazuchi_ kun is mad at you” She said in very low and hoarse voice. Her voice sounded so bitter and pained, I felt shivers running down my spine hearing the tone of her voice. I thought she could just look with those cold eyes and would freeze the world in place.

“Ohh!! I am sorry Kiyomi-chan, _Ikazuchi_ kun I would never do that again, please just let me get off the hook this time I would gift you sake, please” I thought he was mad, talking with nobody looking into air, imagining somebody was there, but a voice did come. An angry, deep voice as if it was growling.

“I don’t think that would suffice, any way they did not listen you! I made sure that they didn’t, so I know who would use this information to hurt Kiyomi, if she got hurt by any means”

“Aww!! Don’t be like that _Ikazuchi_ kun!!!” Shunsui was back in his demeanor. He was all fake crying and waving his hands in air. I knew they were just trying to bring Kiyomi san back to her usual self, which was not working at all. I went over the rock she was sitting on, bent down on knees so that she could look at my face,

“Kiyomi san, please you should not be here at this time. Let us walk you to the Mansion, if you want you can share with us what has happened! Though Me and Shunsui have very good idea what might have happened to make you feel like this. We just want you to be safe and don’t want people to see you like this, vulnerable or enraged. Please Kiyomi san, you are stronger than this, we know you are.”

She looked at me, a tear escaped from her left eye. I wiped it away gently before I could control my hand. She looked at me with slight surprise but made one of my most apologetic faces. She nodded ever so slightly,

“Alright, but I don’t want to go back to mansion, I know father is coming this way, he sensed my reiastu back when It was unstable, Soi fon chan, Aizen san and Ichimaru san and some shinigami have gathered outside the barrier. I can sense them all, could you please make them go away!! I just want to talk to my father alone then I will come with you two.” She said barely making any sound of her voice. She was whispering but her voice was filled with pain.

“Ok Kiyomi san, I will tell them to return to Seireitie. I will be back in a few” I said worriedly and left to make it outside the barrier. It took me a while to make everybody to go back the way they came. However, soi fon was standing there with eyes closed, not paying any heed to what I was saying and Aizen san and Gin won’t budge,

“Ukitake Taichou, please I just want to talk to Kiyomi san for once, I know she is in there” Aizen said in worried tone. I knew he was friends with her and was very worried about her, it was written all over his face.

“Alright, I would ask her, wait here”

He nodded. I made my way back to where she was. She told me that her father has arrived at the barrier on opposite side of the side where Soi fon, Aizen were. I nodded and took out small section in the barrier right in front of where he was standing; her father came near us in flash,

“Kiyomi dear, what happened? Why are you here? Why are you looking like that? Why did you leave the mansion at this hour, dear? Your mother is so panicked you know. You have just come to us after all these years. It was hard on your mother, living without both the children. You know how she gets some times.” He said patting on her head. She nodded.

“I am sorry father. But something came up and I could not control my anger and thus my _Reiastu_ so I came here so that I would not harm anybody. Please forgive me” she said and hugged her father, I was afraid that she was crying but she was not.

“Did your _Reiastu_ cause this all? Was that your _reiastu_ on the _Soukyoku_ hill few minutes back?” he was caressing her head.

“Yes father. I know it is going to cause you a problem. I am sorry again” She said in weak voice but did not cry.

“No dear. You are alright and that matters the most. Now let us go home.” He said worriedly.

“Father, I cannot go back to mansion, at least not now. Please just take care of mother, I will be back tomorrow morning, I need some time alone father.” She said looking down, never looked at him after that,

 “You promise me you would be alright then?” her father asked patting her head again.

She nodded and they said there good byes and Fujiwara san flash stepped away when I broke the barrier for good now, Soi fon, Aizen and Gin made their way to us. They talked to her. Aizen had very worried face, he was doing all the talking. Shunsui and I, we were standing by the river, bit away from then so as to be outside in the earshot, giving them some space. After some time, they all nodded as if to end the conversation and all the three left the way they came. We went over her and asked her to come with her and flash stepped to 13th division.

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**In division 13, captains quarters**

**Ukitake’s POV**

The quarter were big enough to accommodate 6 people, I had three spare rooms with besides my study, kitchen, bedroom and the library, plus I had garden at the back yard which was also the back yard of three of the rooms which were bedrooms, so it was pleasant. I hardly left the 13th division for my mansion so I had it all in here. I liked it here, Shunsui also accompanied me most of the times and I had good memories here. I hope she agrees with the arrangement or we would have to take her to mansion.

We were sitting in my office which happened to be near my study,

“Kiyomi san, Shunsui generally comes here for dinner and we have made my captain’s quarters as home, lately. As you know, Shunsui has beautiful captain’s quarters too, but we end up being having dinner and late night talk together and so we are here. After you went to mission, we almost stopped meeting on weekly basis like we all used to, so Shunsui and I fall into our usual habit that we had before we started having the weekend’s-get-together at your mansion. He already has his half of the things in a bedroom here which he claims to be his room in my quarters, I have two spare bedrooms or if you want we can visit Ukitake Mansion, which I think more comfortable for you.” I was doing all the talking.

“No, Ukitake san. It’s just for today; I don’t want to make such a fuss about it, besides I want to ask you and Nii-san some things”

“Ok, go on ahead” Shunsui said, looking for his sake bottle,

“ _Ikazuchi_ said you had an idea about what happened with Byakuya and after that you also said that you know why I felt like this back in the forest. How……..How did you two know?” she said.

“Mi-chan, we really need to do this now? Please don’t hurt yourself more.” Shunsui said suddenly becoming serious,

“Let it out, Shunsui. She will feel better once it’s all out once and for all. It’s not like hiding anything is going to make things better.”

I felt her flinch when I spoke that. But I didn’t want to hid anything form her.

“Kiyomi-san as you know, I am the current leader or you can say the head of the Ukitake clan. I don’t mind telling you that one of my ancestors had gone rouge two thousand years back and was helping deserters to make the plan to overthrow the rule of seireitie, so we had his powers all be sealed off and he was exiled from seireitie. Somehow he gained hollow powers, came back to Soul society when you were gone for the mission and became nuisance to Rukongai people. I was sent to take care of that as he was attacking other hollows to eat them to become more powerful. That night, I saw Byakuya and Hisana together in compromising situation in forest while I was on my way back and that’s all” I said in the least offensive way I could put it.

She was looking down at her feet all the time and had clenched hands into fist, then I saw blood dripping form her hands, ‘Oh _kami_ [GOD], she was drawing blood all this time, I dint not even notice, how stupid I can be’. I rushed to her, opened her fist abruptly, at that time I did not care if I was being offensive or harsh on her, I could not allow her to hurt herself like that.

“Shunsui, could you please get the first aid box form the kitchen; it’s above the topmost shelf on the left side of window.” He went to bring the box. I told her to sit down and sat opposite to her, Shunsui soon came with the box and sat beside her.

I looked at her hand there was dried brownish blood and fresh red, warm blood too, that means she has been doing this for long. I started using healing kido to close the recently reopened wounds, she dint even wince when I took her hand in the first place, was she used to pain or the pain in heart was that much that physical pain meant nothing to her. I closed the wounds with healing kido, cleaned the blood gently and bandaged her hands,

“So, that’s how you two knew it, it’s good that it was you Ukitake san. You saw him and not any other person. Please keep it between us three. Though I know I don’t need to ask you this, you would never go on telling such things and if you would have wanted to, you would have done that by now. But, I don’t know whom to trust anymore, please don’t feel bad the way I am talking” She said in such a tone that there was no single trace of any kind of emotion in that. I felt sad.

“Ukitake san, Onii-san, could you please help me look for a place of my own tomorrow?” she said trying to sound normal but I could feel the pain in her voice.

“A place of your own!! Why? You have such a big mansion for yourself, you have your own floor, there are only 3 people in such a big mansion and do you want your parents to live alone while you are in same city as them? It’s not good to hurt them, ne?” Shunsui said. She tried to clench her fist again but I took her hands in mine, she looked at me and her angry eyes turned sad for a moment, while her face was dead set being emotionless. She looked at shunsui again,

“You are right Onii-san. But I can’t live there anymore, too many memories, I need some time to clear up my mind, I will see them every day. I have learned to be alone anyways, I spent 21 years like that with no proper place for live in, at least I would have my own apartment now. I have all my payment kept in box at your place right? Think it would be sufficient for getting a small apartment?” her voice still was weak; i felt she could cry any moment but she did not.

“You haven’t used much of that, that would be more than sufficient to buy you a mansion your own, you know. You would also get the money tomorrow for your 20 years mission. That’s going to be large sum.” Shunsui said tapping his fingers on his chin. I still had her hands in mine, they lay loose as if she had given up on them, I could feel them cold.

“No, I want small apartment, just enough to keep few of my things and a good study. As for the rest of money, I want one of you to hold on to it” She said staring somewhere in air, taking back her hands form mine, I felt empty, I wanted to hold them for longer, I actually wanted to hold her but I knew I had no right what so ever.

“Ok, so, mission ‘find an apartment for Kiyomi chan’ starts tomorrow morning after captains meeting, now let’s go to bed” Shunsui said.

We nodded, bid ‘good nights’, he went to his room, I asked Kiyomi-san to follow me,

“these two room are spare rooms, they have attached bathroom, this one on left has garden in back yard, similar to mine while the other one has veranda which faces the division 13 meditation area, you can choose which ever you want, and the this one is my room, if you need anything just knock once, I am light sleeper” I said smiling at her.

“Ukitake san, I need to ask one more favor and it’s kind of lame but I can’t help it” she said thinking about something and massaging her temple with her bandaged hand,

“Please, ask right away, don’t feel like that” I said quickly.

“Could you possibly be having a T-shirt or something like that?”

“I have some, I bought them long time ago, please come this way, I will show you all of them take any one you want”

“Thank you, Ukitake san”

We went to my room, I asked her to sit on couch in front of small coffee table, I looked for t-shirt in my closet, I took a pile of neatly folded T-shirts and shirts form living world and placed in front of her on couch, she looked at them, took out three all of them were white and some small design on it, she unfolded them one by one before folding them neatly and putting on pile again, one had some logo type thing on left sleeve, one had red and black cross at center, one had just two thin blue lines running horizontally in front side of T-shirt, it was big for my size but it looked good on me anyways, baggy was good sometimes, she picked that in hand,

“I would like to take this one, sorry to have to use your cloths but I figured that I cannot sleep in my uniform which in fact has been all worn out from mission already, I was in frenzy when I left home and picked up this robe in rush, thank you for the help” she said in a calm voice and bowed.

“That’s all right, Kiyomi san, please don’t be so formal, we are friends right? Friends are there to help, I wanted to say this earlier, buy please think about it, ‘I don’t think Kisuke san and Yoruichi san has betrayed us, they could not prove their innocence that does not necessarily mean that they are guilty’, they were never offered a chance”

“You are very kind and wise person, Ukitake san. I will think about it, now I would like to go to bed, good night, Ukitake-san” she said, with same straight face.

“Good night, Kiyomi san” I said giving her smile, she left room closing door behind her back, I never got to ask which room she was choosing to stay. ‘Well, it’s up to her’, I thought and took a bath and went to sleep while thinking about her and today’s events.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

**General POV**

 

Next few days, Kiyomi kept herself very busy. She was fighting bravely with her anger and her sadness. She started doing work with her captain, she was working as an acting vice captain for 8th division. They were thinking about asking Nanao Ise to take exam of vice-captain but she was to be trained for that. Kiyomi has to take the exams for kido corps commander.

Kiyomi talked to her parents about buying a place for herself which they reluctantly agreed on, they started looking for apartments, she looked as far away as possible form all the divisions, as she was going to leave _Gotei_ 13 for good. Kido Corps had their own units and whole new structure. While they were searching for apartments, she spent most of her time in 8th and 13th divisions, and she found it extremely comfortable to be in 13th division than to be at home. Division 13 was at good distance from all the divisions, they found a nice apartment with 4 rooms and a kitchen and living room, it was too big for Kiyomi’s liking but was best given her needs, as she would need one for her music instruments and another one for paintings, as she had in her mansion.

They bought the place just before the day she had to take the exam, she decided to settle herself up into new place after the exam is over, ‘till then Ukitake san’s place it is’, she thought.

She took both exams and passed. She was now to join kido corps as commander within a week and that was new to her, totally different form _gotei_ 13, all of their _zanpakutou_ were _kido_ based. Units and their structure was very different than the one she was familiar with. She also had to train and select one among the current Kido corpse people or from the academy as her vice-captain, so she needed lot of work to do, she knew it was a big challenge for her given her both _zanpakutou_ were elemental type.

She was returning form squad 1, after exam, she saw Unohana _Taichou_ while she was heading to 8 th division,

**Kiyomi’s POV**

“Kiyomi san, it’s good to see you, how have you been?” She asked smiling.

“I am fine, _Taichou_ , thank you” I lied, “how are you?” I asked.

“Ohh! I am fine too, but soul society has suffered a great loss, I suppose you have heard about it. I was hoping that you would like to help us, so how was your exam Kiyomi-san?” She sai din her clam and gentle voice.

“ _Taichou_! So, you are one of the 7 who recommended me?”

“Yes, we need captains and vice-captains of good caliber in _Gotei_ 13 and you would make a fine captain Kiyomi san, but we also need commander in _kido_ corps, you are excellent at _kido_ , the whole structure is about to collapse with both leaders gone, _Gotei_ 13 has a head captain as commander, kido corps and secret tactics units have nobody to look up to, you have become stronger Kiyomi san, you also have the _bankai_ that would rival _Yamamoto sou taichou’s bankai_ , they need a worthy commander” She said with her eyes closed and worried voice.

“Thank you for the kind words, I suppose that they would be transferring me back to _Gotei_ 13 when time is appropriate, he just wants to hid my powers for now” I said thinking back what Yamamoto _sensei_ was telling me.

“Yes, that would be correct. I must go to squad 1 now Kiyomi san, it was nice talking to you, please do come by 4th division later, I want to talk to you.” She said.

I nodded and ran to 8th division.

_End of Kiyomi’s POV_

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kiyomi has now become captain commander of kido corps which was a position higher than captain, she had bought a place for herself which was fortunately close to the kido corps headquarters and division 13 was not so far form kiyomi’s new house. Her father had instructed servants to help Kiyomi move her stuff, she and her mother had been packing rather instructing her maids for whole morning, and she had lunch with parents in mansion.

Servants loaded all things from the Fujiwara mansion and unloaded all things in her apartment half of which she sent back to mansion. She did not want anything related to her memories of Byakuya and her relationship. She also made the servants leave without helping her clean the apartment.

\-----

She changed into blue tank top and black shorts and started cleaning, so that she would move the stuff where she wanted it to be. She was dusting and talking to Atsuko who still was in plushy, when her doorbell rang.

“Door is unlocked, come in” she said or rather shouted form the place where she was cleaning.

Door opened to reveal two captains, with hands full of bags.

“Onii-san! Ukitake san!! What are you guys doing here? Didn’t you guys had a meeting?”

“Aww!! Don’t be like that dear, meeting is over and it was boring”, Kyouraku _Taichou_ said,

“And Kiyomi san, we came here to help you of course” Ukitake said smiling.

“So nice of you guys, but no thanks! I will do it, don’t worry, I still have lot of time to join and report back, please, both of you are captains, I don’t want you guys to waste your time doing these things” she said putting her hands on her hips.

“Ok, bye-bye” Kyouraku said showing his back to Kiyomi griping his hat and pulled Ukitake out of the door. That made her raise an eyebrow but she  thought of going back to her work.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Kiyomi’s POV**

“Ok, bye-bye” _Onii_ -san said turning around griping his hat and pulled Ukitake-san out of the door.

Door shut close behind them with thud.

“Wow! Shu-nii-san gets weird sometimes, was I rude or something!!” I muttered out.

‘Well, I have lot of work, I better get working. I will apologize to them after I complete cleaning. May be I will buy them a dinner.’

“those two are very good friends Nee chan!” Atsuko said.

“Yes, they are Atsuko! You remember i told you about _sensei_ whom you showed how your powers work and then he said that he will allow you to stay here?” she nodded and said,

“Yeah! He is scary!” she said in low voice which made me smile at her cute face.

“well both of them are his first students, both of them had helped me too you know!”

“You are very lucky _Nee_   _chan_! You have lot of friends!” she said while she jumped up and down on a pillow.

“Oh! They will become your friends too! I will introduce you to them. Don’t worry!” I assured her.

“Really?” she asked raising her hands in air happily.

I nodded at her sweet plushy face.

\-----

I started working again, after approximately 20 minutes, door again opened I turned around and saw Ukitake san had dark gray T-shirt and back Capri and black converse on, he had his long white hair tied firmly, bangs being ever present on his forehead, he had a red _bandana_ around his snow white locks, he had a bucket in hand with something inside the bucket and ‘Damm! He looked Hot! Wait what?...What am I thinking and this language!!Urrgh!! Living world!! You are the worse!!’, _Onni_ _san_ had black tank top and dark green Capri on, with black converse, he had a brush and some other cleaning instruments in his hand, so that’s why they ran back then.

“What am I going to do with you guys, C’mon now help me!!” I said smiling, keeping hands on hips,

“Hey! Don’t you forget me!” came cold voice behind them, Soi fon was there, a black T-shirt, back shorts, she came and hugged me, we all started working together.

It was fun, they really helped me a lot, it would have taken all day if not for them helping me like this. We completed around 7 pm. We all were worn out, we cleaned ourselves up and collapsed in living room on couch and chairs. Soi fon on left, Ukitake san on right side on couch, we were looking at Onii-san, he was looking inside one of the bags they brought earlier, took out a sake bottle!, ‘Wow, he had brought that!’

He settled himself on chair and started opening the bottle,

“Wait Nii-san, I would like to take you all for dinner!!” I said,

“That would be so nice; I am bored of Juushirou’s cooking anyway!” He said moving his eyeballs so as to glance at Ukitake san.

“Really!! Why don’t you cook yourself then!” Ukitake san asked, trying to get angry,

“Drop it Juu! You can try all you want, you can never get angry or you can’t even get that feeling on your face” he said making a face and having a sheepish smile,

“Will you two shut it!! Kiyomi I will be back within 30 minutes, get these numb-nuts ready by then, we will go to have dinner together, kay!” I nodded and she disappeared.

“Ukitake san, you cook? And, that too every day? I did not know that, I actually cannot cook, never even tried once, I never even set foot in kitchen for that, I used to go to kitchen just to order around” I was feeling miserable, I had lot of problems when I was on the mission due to this, I never knew how to cook, I always needed somebody to cook for me. Ukitake san was also noble and Head of the family, yet he knew how to.

“Don’t feel bad, many people don’t know how to cook, I too did not knew how to, when I used to live in mansion, I started experimenting when I made the office my home. I can’t cook all fancy items; I just cook your average everyday meal”

“Well, I will try and learn.” I said. They both excused themselves saying they would be back.

\----

We had dinner together, it was nice, it’s not like I was active member of the conversation they were having but I was relaxed, at least for some time, I felt good. It was feeling that was rare these days, since I came back, I had met with emotional shocks waiting for me to strike head on. I was not ready to accept the fact that after everything that had happened, Byakuya never came to see me nor did he send a letter or messenger, he simply kicked me out of his life.

‘I dint know what exactly went wrong or what was my mistake. Was it because I left for mission? But he never said not to go?’ I was thinking about it again, my body tensed in chair, fist clenched, soi fon was teasing Onii-san for something, I did not pay any attention before I went into my world of thoughts involving the love of my life, Byakuya!!

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

**Ukitake’s POV**

We were having fun, food was good and place was peaceful, we went to have drinks after that, soi fon was teasing us, she asked why we bicker like old married couple and why I cook for Shunsui, I was laughing at her statement and Shunsui was acting all fake hurt, he started flirting with her. When I glanced at Kiyomi san, I could see one hand that was above table, she was in fact clenching her fist, she was quite from the start but paying attention none the less. ‘What happened so suddenly? Is thinking about Byakuya again?’

Her expressions on face never change these days, her eyes held her expressions instead, I took her hands in mine, one above the table and one below, she still was thinking and staring at nothing, her eyes appeared to be on the wall behind me. I looked at Shunsui, who was sitting beside me and soi fon who was sitting beside Kiyomi san to stop there rambling. Everything went quite. We were all looking at her, she snapped out of it after a few seconds,

“I am sorry minna-san, I ruined the evening, I guess I should get going, I don’t drink anyways, please continue. Thank you for all” She took her hand away from mine gently, nodded at me and turned to face others, both nodded.

“Juu, I think you should walk her home, you also are not drinking” I nodded, thanked Shunsui mentally and asked Kiyomi san to come with me.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I was thankful to Shunsui, with all that sake, he thought of a good excuse for me to be with Kiyomi san. We were walking towards her apartment in silence. Not that silence was uncomfortable but I want her to stop thinking about her past.

“Kiyomi san, how is the new division?”  I asked in low voice. We were walking side by side.

I waited for her to answer, it never came, I looked at her, she looked like she was thinking.

“Kiyomi-san?” i asked worriedly.

“----“ Nothing. No response.

I stopped walking, thinking that she would stop too, she was walking in same pace. I grabbed her hand to make her turn back, she suddenly jerked her hand and attacked me, I braced for impact but it was too late, the attack threw me off balance and I fell to the ground harshly.

“Ohh My God!! Ukitake san, I am sorry!! I didn’t know what took over me. I am sorry” She said while picking me up, she was not herself the moment she turned back, I just knew it.

“Kiyomi san, please come with me” I said grabbing her hand and flash stepping to Unohana’s Office, she was there talking with Isane.

“Ukitate Taichou? Kiyomi san, what happened?” Restu asked worriedly.

“Unohana San, could you please check kiyomi san?” I asked her and she nodded taking Kiyomi’s han din her own and motioning her to come.                                                                   

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kiyomi was sleeping in squad 4, I was sitting on chair near the bed, unohana came in room,

“Ukitake san, she is experiencing _reiastu_ fluctuations due to emotional stress and trauma. Do you know why that is? If I know the reason, maybe I can convince her or console her. You know what I mean?” Restu asked me worriedly.

“I know, but I have promised her that I would not tell anyone.” I said looking down so as to avoid her gaze.

“Well, I had asked her to visit 4th squad, the day she took exam, she never came” Restu’s voice was worried too. I told her that we were looking for place for Kiyomi san to buy and all stuff that kept her busy. Kiyomi woke up,

“Kiyomi san, your _reiastu_ fluctuations are due to emotional stress and trauma. But when you attacked, Ukitake san said that your _reiastu_ was different, can you explain what it was like?”

“Something was pulling me, my mind was going blank, I was sensing a powerful _reiastu_ but other than that everything was normal, I did not intend to attack him, my body just acted on its own, I tried to stop it, and it was not a reflex I know, because I was seeing myself and my hands and i was watching my body move as if I was not inside it.” She said with confusion in her eyes.

“Strange, I have one more patient saying things like that and I had asked you to visit for the same reason.” Retsu said and Kiyomi san looked at her with emotional face but confused eyes.

I too was confused now.

“Please come with me” she said, I stood up, helped Kiyomi san out of bed,

We went floor above, to second last room, there was the servant girl, Hisana, she was looking like a ghost, her hands and legs were griped firmly to bed. Kiyomi san’s eyes were ever so slightly wide and her face tensed. She gripped my sleeve of my Kimono, I guess unknowingly, as if the bed ridden girl was suddenly going to attack us. I never have seen such expression on her face.

“Kiyomi-san, isn’t she one of the Fujiwara house hold’s maids? I have seen her with you many times. She was brought here few months ago, she repeatedly tried to kill herself, she was under some kind of hypnosis, it’s the only conclusion I could draw as she behaved completely different few times, maybe it’s a split personality disorder, she has another spirit within her and it is not a _zanpakutou_ sprit. 12 th division has been asking for her co-operation but I don’t want her to become their lab rat.” Retsu said in very worried voice.

Kiyomi san calmed down after hearing all Unohana has to say, we both were in shock. Soura or Hisana had gone through terrible ordeal. Kiyomi told Unohana to take care of her, told her

“Unohana _Taichou_ , please tell her that I came to visit her and that she has to be recover quickly for her judgment still awaits. Can you please tell her these exact same words?” Unohana nodded. I was confused what was she talking like that for, but I didn’t not say a word.

We left 4th squad, went to area where Kiyomi san had felt reiastu. Nothing was there, so I walked her home, bid good night and went to 13th division.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

**Kiyomi’s POV**

I was thinking about Soura, I had lot on my mind I could not sleep. Tossing and turning was not helpful, this place was all new for me, I was tired from all work we did all day, still I could not sleep.

I got up, I was in my Baggy T-shirt, as I always had those on while sleeping, I was tired of changing to kimono, I just put my jeans I had worn when I went out for dinner, put my shoes on,  locked my door put keys pocket and jumped to roof. I was looking at the sky, saw the shrine of penitence and jumped towards it, was flash stepping, I jumped on the bridge and bridge above that, I could sense a _reiastu_ , somewhere above the bridge, when I reached the upper most bridge, I saw a figure there in black _kimono_ , they came towards me,

“ Kiyomi san?” it was Aizen san’s gentle voice.

“Hello, Aizen san, I did not mean to intrude, I would just go somewhere else” I quickly said.

“No, no, please stay. I would like some company, really. I come here when I cannot, sleep that all” he said and smiled at me.

“its my first time coming here at this hour, but my reason is same none the less” I said and relaxed after seeing his warm smile and his gentle and calm demeanor.

He smiled at me, asked me to follow him, we went to higher grounds, then he jumped above the white tall building, I jumped after him, we went all the way up, I never knew it had a terrace like this and we actually could sit on it,

“Kiyomi san, please come here take a look.”

I went over to where he was asking me to come, and

“Wow, the seireitie looks like sky and all those lights they look like stars. It’s amazing”

We sat there in silence for some time, and then he started telling stories of bunch of things, things that I dint know about, he was an intelligent person. His eyes were soft, voice was gentle, his hand gestures were captivating and his smile was warm. We talked for a while. Then we went to our separate ways. I dint know why but I felt sleepy when I came home and quickly went to sleep.

 


	7. Friend, the marriage and the Sister

Kiyomi's new job, in the kido corps division, was creating a structure that would not collapse at the captains or Commander’s absence, she had to gauge the capacity and powers every member, sort them accordingly into groups and teach them further. Yamamoto Sou taichou had also been helping her. She made them take various tests for days to categorize the members into different groups; no division member was strong enough to become second in command. Sou taichou asked her to pick a candidate from new graduates and train them. She started visiting academy after that.

In squad 4, Soura, had indeed started recovering after Unohana told her about kiyomi's message. Byakuya never came to see her or not even attempted to contact her or Soura. After all the anger died All kiyomi wanted was Byakuya to come and talk to kiyomi like he did before, tell her everything that has happened instead of playing ignorance. Kiyomi put all her efforts in creating new reliable and strong structure for kido corps, her people started worshiping her. She put all she has got in training them. Sou taichou was happy to see the progress. Soura was recovering with good speed, she even started talking.

Kiyomi had a good stable schedule, occasional morning meeting with _Sou_ _Taichou_ or captains, working with her division, training the division members, after lunch time, visiting academy for keeping eye on possible new graduates and candidates, teaching them a thing or two, her paper work, in the evening, she would spar with the people who had shown interest in fighting with swords, assisting Soi fon was also there on her to-do lists, she would have tea and dinner with Kyouraku and Ukitake. She used to go to shrine of penitence and talk with Aizen. Basically things had fallen back into the way they used to, just people were replaced, Yoruichi by Soi Fon and Kisuke by Aizen. But some things never change; Ukitake and Kyouraku were still there, exactly the way they used to. There was nobody to replace Byakuya from her heart, there was a wound, still bleeding and aching for the rightful thing to return and close the wound.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**One month and 5 days after the day Kiyomi visits Soura**

Unohana came to room where Soura was kept for the treatment and rest, Soura was up in sitting position, staring out of the window,

"Soura san, how are you feeling now?"

"Good, thank you for taking care of me." Soura said in low and weak voice, standing up and bowing down.

"Well, that's a good news; your reiastu and your health both are stable from two days. If you feel safe, it is alright for you to go to your regular routine" Unohana said.

"Thank you, I would like to go now", She bowed and left for the Fujiwara mansion, she was allowed to passed through gates, she was told to go to room at back side of kitchen where she met the other maids and servants, some were out for work, but remaining people saw her and gathered around her showering her with lot of questions. She got passed all that she was given work in kitchen and garden, totally different form the work she used to do, she was Kiyomi's favorite so she had been assigned to help her and do all the work on the top most floor which belonged to Kiyomi. She thought this was some of her punishment that she never would be getting close to Kiyomi again; she wanted to see Kiyomi and apologize again and ask for another chance. She worked in kitchen then went to work at garden, in the evening, she was given some boxes that were to be put in store room that was on topmost floor, she thought that was her chance to see Kiyomi, she hurried to destination only to find all rooms nearly empty.

After work that day, she asked her fellow servants about it, she gathered all the information and waited for judgment to come as kiyomi has said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**9 years after the day kiyomi comes back to soul society**

Kiyomi has now become a very powerful and respected Commander, the chief of kido Corps, she is famous for her kido and spiritual powers, very few people close to Kiyomi knows about her zanpakutou, she has two vice captains, one looking after the training and organizing units for different kido related tasks like opening Senkaimon, placing limiters, assisting 12th division members, helping with prisoners and so on, second for executing missions those were outside the seireitie. Kiyomi still was friends with Ukitake, Kyouraku, Soi fon and Aizen. They had very much value in her life. She trusted them. She has put her faith in all of them including Yamamoto _Sou_ _Taichou_ and Unohana.

\-----------------

Today is the day when kiyomi comes to visit the fujiwara mansion, as there was annual meeting of all nobles and her presence had been requested for the reason unknown to her. She went to her mother's room, as she never wanted to go to her previous room at all, she waited for maid to arrive, Soura came there with the box of ornaments and all fujiwara traditional things, expensive looking _Kimono_ was custom made, but so were all other Traditional Fujiwara clan _kimono_ for Kiyomi. It was already ready and placed on stand in front for the mirrors. Soura looked at Kiyomi and stood there in door dumb folded.

Kiyomi stood and motioned Soura to start working, Soura flinched at the expression she was welcomed with, nothingness, stoic face, no emotions at all, Kiyomi acted as she was asking some machine to do the job, this was first time after her confession that they were in a room alone. Soura thought Kiyomi should have shouted at her, cursed her or should have even resorted to violence, but nothing. It was awkward, Soura was feeling nervous and her guilt grew even more as she was working with Kiyomi's outfit and her hair, ornaments. Kiyomi never spared her a glance, simply put up with all the things she has to do.

When Kiyomi was ready, she looked herself in mirror, gave a small sigh at her look with all traditional Fujiwara cloths. She looked at Soura, their eye met for a moment and next second Soura's eyes went to ground near her feet. She started shaking. Not even single word was shared till then.

"Soura, nice work, I have missed the way you used to help me out in every small thing back then, I live all by myself now, so I have learned all basic things but it’s nice if you have some help ne! Well we are ready, go to escorts and tell them to be outside the mansion after fifteen minutes and bring me some tea" Kiyomi ordered and Soura bowed with a small ‘ _Hai’_ and ran to do what she was ordered to.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**At the meeting**

**Kiyomi’s POV**

It was not a meeting but was more of the get together for nobles; I was standing at the corner with Soura on left and another maid on right side. They were holding the papers and the other stuff my father and me would require for the meeting that was supposed to happen after this function.

I was bored, I had lost all my contact within noble families over years now, I was not even interested in the meetings and the functions like this, many noble boys, as in suitors were just coming and talking to me as if I was the only girl in the world which was not yet married. 'I was all fed up, I mean they were all good looking and well-mannered and all but can't they just get a clue and leave me alone already, people really should know when to quit. Only if Ukitake san and Onii- san were here. They are nobles too, right?' she thought.

As if God have answered the prayer, Juushirou Ukitake wearing a traditional white and blue  _kimono_  on with some special symbol on it, came inside the big room boring room I was standing in, there were two servants with him.

'Ukitake san is here; finally I will get rescued from all these boys trying to get into conversation with me.' He looked back from the door and motioned somebody to come in, he came in and looked around the room, finally our eyes met, I smiled at him and he nodded, there was a beautiful girl wearing baby pink  _kimono_  with small bright pink flowers printed in a design all over it, she looked amazing with all jewelry and  _kenseikan_ , she was almost as tall as me, had straight black hair coming down to her waist, she had her hand tucked in Ukitake san's left hand, they made their way to me,

"It's pleasure to finally meet you, Kiyomi-dono". She said smiling at me, in very smooth and gentle voice.

'She knows my name? Who was she? Is she his girlfriend? Or wife? She suits him well....But neither him nor Onii-san mentioned about it ever once, was she selected as his bride then, yes, that must be it, these meetings and get-togethers are nothing but an attempt to match the pairs among nobles, its good though, Ukitake san seems happy, she is beautiful and looks ...kinda like him!! Except for the hair and the eyes.

Ohh! Where are my manners! She just greeted me and I am still standing mute thinking about her appearance and identity..'

"Hello, I am Kiyomi fujiwara, Daughter of 38th clan leader, Tadashi fujiwara; it's nice to meet you too" I said smiling, the way a noble should smile at the other.

"I am Masami Arakawa but former Masami Ukitake, younger sister of current clan head, Juushirou Ukitake, we never met before because I am no longer a noble and well, I am not even a shinigami but I came here to see you. I have heard a lot about you, good things of course!! You are even more beautiful than Juushirou nii Chan had described many times over” She said, winking at me, 'so she was his sister!!'

"Masami, please" Ukitake san's face was all going red. 'He told his sister about me? Why?'

"Well, Masami, Kiyomi san, I will have to leave you two here for a moment, I need to talk with your father and the others, I will be back" with that he left, I was glad Masami san had come to this place, she was very friendly person to talk with, we felt as if we were friends for long time.

She told me that she had married a commoner thus became commoner herself, as she said, it was love marriage, after that Ukitake family had problems but Ukitake san supported her so she could marry the person she had fallen in love with. 'Ukitake san is such a sweet-heart', I thought. She told me many things about him, which made me understand him even better. I liked her company; I had sent both my servants and Ukitake san's butler to sit back at the place provided for helpers to sit. After some time, Ukitake san joined our little group, Onii-san also came and joined in. 'So this is not going to be as boring as I thought it would be', I thought.

We were talking with each other when I sensed tension in my fathers' reiastu, it was well masked, but I had the unique ability anyways. I suddenly stopped talking in the mid conversation and looked away where my father was seating, he was talking to Genrei Kuchiki san and Byakuya , Elder kuchiki looked at me and nodded, I nodded in return, I wanted to know what were they talking about and what made my father feel so tensed. I was looking at father who was taking to both Kuchiki members, my eyes were accidentally caught by slate gray orbs of Byakuya, I knew that I had to avoid glancing at him.

I couldn't help but feel confined and miserable looking into his eyes. As predicted, it did take a toll on my mind. I did not even apologize for I stopped taking in the middle of the conversation and stared at HIM.  I had shut all the feelings off, put them away at the back of my mind, locked in black room never to be opened, I never wanted to feel anything anymore, specially not LOVE. If I started feeling things again the way I used to, I knew that I could not keep myself away from Byakuya. He was not my Byakuya anymore. I had no right over him. It had torn me up in pieces, left me all vulnerable, exactly as Eita  _Onii san_  has always mentioned, 'love makes you weak'.

I was brought back to reality when I noticed Ukitake san, he had stood in front of me and had taken my hands in his hands, then I realized that I was clenching my fists again, that too very hard, this was the drawback of putting up straight face and being all stoic, there were the other ways the anger within me would come out. I had little blood on my palms. Ukitake san opened my fists and Masami san quickly wiped it away with her handkerchief, I thanked her mutely. I looked at them, calmed down and nodded to say that that I was ok. He let my hands go tucking in my hand Masami san's the handkerchief. My father and kuchiki san made their way to me,

"Ukitake san, Kyouraku san, Masami san, we would like borrow Kiyomi san for a moment" with that I nodded to Ukitake san and rest of them and went with my father.

Kuchiki san and father stood before me, Byakuya was standing a foot away from us; he was behind Kuchiki san. Everything around us was tense; there was thick silent which needed to be broken. Kuchiki san was first to speak,

"Kiyomi san, your father and I had discussed about Byakuya and your marriage all those years back when we came to know about Byakuya had an interest of romantic nature towards you, whole seireitie knew about it back then. Elders form both sides had encouraged the idea, your parents were also happy about the decision. As you know, I already was in favor of having you has Byakuya's bride.  I also had asked you about how you feel about him in my office. I like you and your family, Kiyomi san; it would be good for our family's sake too” He said in calm voice.

I was feeling tongue tied. What was I supposed to tell him? That Byakuya does not love me anymore; that he has not seen me in last 9 years; that he had also been in love with Soura? He did not even say that our relationship was over, he has not even come to break up with me and that I was just being ignored by him. 

I did not say anything. I had feeling to slap Byakuya across the face and claim him mine right there. He was mine to have, only mine; exactly like he used to tell me every day, that I was his. He has always been demanding and dominating, but I liked that too. He was so possessive of me then why things had to have end up like this? I wanted nothing more than to kiss him right there and claim him for eternity and look him in eye and say 'you are mine', but when I looked at Kuchiki san and Byakuya just behind him with unreadable expression on his face, it snapped me out of my trance and I could not say it after all, I had lost it, my rage converted into Sorrow, my anger had changed into despair, father noticed the change in my emotions in my eyes, he put his hand on my head,

"We were waiting for you to come to Soul society my dear, but after you came, things were not the way they used to be, we know there is something bothering you both" My father said.

Kuchiki san spoke again, “I know there is tension in your relationship dear, please tell us, we would help resolve the matter. Byakuya is being stubborn as always, at least you tell us something, we can solve the problem and you can get married, we want you two happy together”.

While kuchiki san was saying this, he took Byakuya by hand and made him stand in front of me.

'So, I had to come up with all excuses, it was my mistake after all, I gave into him, I should have protested, the day he said, he loved me. I should have waited for some more time to see if he was really feeling that way or that i was mere attraction for him. Anyways what happened that day in front of  _senkaimon_  before i went for mission cannot be undone now. Think Kiyomi!' I thought.

I did not say anything, I closed my eyes, mentally I was yelling but outside I was calm, I thought of my father, mother and brother, I thought of Ukitake san, shunsui Onii san, Soi fon and Aizen san, I had to say something that would not hurt anybody, I don't want others to suffer because I was in pain, I tuned slightly, so that I was facing both Kuchiki persons.

"I am sorry Kuchiki san, whatever happened that day was the spur of the moment reaction, we were not thinking clearly, please don't blame him, I was just as guilty, I was leaving for quite a long period we, were both immature and did not know what to do. When I came back, I apologized to him, so did he, we are not together. That was all just a misunderstanding. We are just friends and nothing more, in fact, the event that happened that day created panic and tension in our relation as friends. We have not seen each other in past nine years, we are not romantically involved." I wanted to say in firm voice but my voie came out very weak, I was thanking all the deities in the world for helping me speak and that I did chock on my own words while speaking the ultimate lie of my life.

To say that Byakuya was shocked was an understatement. His eyes were wide. He was shocked, hurt..... 'He had no right to feel hurt' and I couldn't read his face as I looked away from him, Kuchiki san was not happy, my father wrapped hand around my shoulders as if to support me. I knew.... he knew that I was lying.... I was lying through my teeth. 'I loved Byakuya, I loved him more than anything in all the three worlds, that's why I was ready to take the blame, if he does not want to be with me, its fine, I will let him go, at least he will be happy and be with the one he wants' I thought.

"Kuchiki san, I am sorry, it was all my fault, I cannot marry Byakuya san, I am ready to take whatever punishment there is, if it has caused you the problems Kuchiki san" I said, in calm voice, he looked at me with disbelief and sadness.

"It's quite all right, thank you for being the brave one and clarifying all the things, Kiyomi san, you are truly wise daughter of wise father. I am proud of you and we would not be bothering you both with these kinds of things anymore. I would like to suggest, enough time has already passed since the incident, you should be back on terms of friendship to take away the tension between yourselves and your families my dear child", he said looking kindly at me and patting my head. I nodded and my father along with Kuchiki san left us. I was looking at my hands, fists were clenched but I did not draw out blood this time,

"So, we are just friends and nothing more and you don't love me" came Byakuya’s hurt voice.

I looked up, my green orbs bored in his slate gray, the tension grew tenfold...silence was killing, I felt whole world stop and his eyes penetrated my very existence, I felt so exposed, why he has such effect on me even after such a long time. 'So many years since we last talked, almost a decade and he says that to me, that I don’t Love HIM!!! How dare He?'

"No, Byakuya Kuchiki, YOU don't love ME." I said as the matter of fact, with the best emotionless face I could come up with and left him with his thoughts. When I returned I apologized to everybody as I remembered that I had stopped talking in the middle of the conversation, they cheered me up or at least tried to. Ukitake san was silent, he did not speak much but I noticed him disturbed, he standing beside me all the time and at the time of meeting he was there with me till it ended. He helped me get myself composed all the time I was there in presence of unbearably stoic Byakuya.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meeting was boring, people were whispering about me and Byakuya, I never looked at him even once after that. 'I had to be more efficient in controlling my feelings form now on!', I thought.

After meeting I went home, had dinner with parents, I asked them if I could take Soura with me they obviously agreed as Soura had been my servant in the first place. She was surprised at my command of leaving the mansion and to my servant again but she came with me without complaining or saying anything. She had very less reiastu, if she had some reiastu I would have enrolled her into the Shino academy. I took her to my division and asked one my subordinates to teach her different things. I wanted her to be independent and free her form her servitude forever.

I gave her job at division, I told her that she would face exams and she had to fulfill her duties. She took it well; I offered her quarters at division where all division people who did not have their own apartment or who wanted to stay close to division used to live. She had an independent life now. That's what I wanted.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**One week after that meeting**

**In Kiyomi's Office**

**Kiyomi's POV**

A hell butterfly made its way through window, I was about to finish meeting with all the unit captains, I gave last instructions and dismissed them. They nodded and left the office. I took my finger out for it to sit, 'Kiyomi, I want to see you today, please do come to Kuchiki manor or I would be coming by at your place in evening – Byakuya' was the massage. 'Huh! Always demanding and expecting people to do what he though was right', I thought.

I was not going to visit kuchiki manor, 'if he wants to talk he will come by' I thought and resumed by duties.

\-------------------------------------------

It was a normal day, I had done with all of the work today, I left my office completely forgetting about Byakuya's message earlier this morning, I made my way to home, changed into comfy clothes, white T-shirt and blue Jeans and black converse and ran to 8th division. It Onii san's Birthday today, he was going to take us out for dinner. On the way I saw Aizen San waving at me, I stopped the shunpo and jumped down. Ukitake san was already there, Aizen san walked me to 8th and was about to leave when soi fon appeared,

"So, what you doing here Aizen Sousuke?" she said in cold voice. 'Why do you hate every man in Seireitie soi fon!!' I thought.

"Hello, Soi fon san, I was walking Kiyomi san to the barracks, I would be leaving now" he said in same low and smooth voice as if the Soi fon did not just insult him but welcomed him with a smile. 'Man, I have to learn how he does that, his warm and kind smile never disappears, his expressions are always so welcoming and kind. Even Ukitake san seems irritated and angry sometimes, but this guy, he is really something' I was brought back to present from my deep thoughts when..

"Why Aizen san, we are going out for dinner, want to join us?" Onii-san said.

"Yes, you should come, you are friends with Kiyomi-san, aren't you! We are celebrating Shunsui's birthday, it’s a small humble party at the place you had suggested Kiyomi san last week, we would like you to join our little group, please do come." Ukitake san said smiling,

"Oh! I did not know, wishes Kyouraku _Taichou_ , thank you for inviting me" he said, giving his pretty signature smile.  'Looks like he will be joining, Soi fon does not look too happy about it though. Well, she never looks happy' I thought.

..........Birthday celebration........

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We had dinner and small celebration, we treated shunsui Onii san with many gifts, Aizen san told that dinner was on his tab, as he had no chance of buying any gift, it was really amazing, food was delicious, after that we were about to go our separate ways,

"Kiyomi san, would you mind if I walk you home? I want to talk to you about Masami" Ukitake san said, I nodded and we all said out goodbyes to each other and left.

Masami san had asked me to come at her place for her daughter's birthday, she also wanted me to tutor her daughter for art of painting and sketching after judging how her daughter was progressing. She was nice friend to have, we talked more about Masami san and her family and he told me how difficult it was to get permission for the marriage, all the problems he faced with nobles.

It was chilly outside, I was walking with hands in the jacket's pocket which was in fact Ukitake san's jacket he gave me while we were walking back, he had his hands in pocket of his jeans, we reached at my place walking and laughing together, I was sensing some reiastu from long time which I choose to ignore, as all different kinds of  _reiastu's,_  masked or not, were there for me all the times and I wanted to relax.

We reached my apartment, were talking about the painting I had just completed but suddenly I felt a tremendous spike in very familiar _reiastu_ , I looked up to find Byakuya, standing on the roof top, staring at us. He jumped down before us, looked at me before looking away and greeting his Ukitake san,

"Ukitake Sensei, How are you?" he said in curt voice.

"I am fine Byakuya, thank you, how are you? It's so surprising to see you here at Kiyomi san's place." Ukitake san said with confused look.

"Ukitake san, he had sent me message this morning, which I unfortunately forgot about and today was important for Onii san so we had to go for the celebration anyways. I knew that Byakuya would come. Don't worry I am fine" I knew he was worried about me. 'Ukitake san had been taking care of me, he is so sweet. How can a man be so caring, sweet and same times tremendously powerful? He never looked down on anybody, noble or not.' I thought.

I looked at Byakuya and managed to keep straight face but I instinctively caught Ukitake san’s hand which I noticed a bit later after he gipped my hand firmer. I looked at Ukitake san and he gave me a smile, I tuned to look at Byakuya,

"Byakuya san, I am sorry, it totally dropped out from my mind and I did not intentionally do it. We had an important dinner tonight, so I had to go. Please do come in, we will talk" I said, in plain voice, as the matter of fact motioning both of them to come in.

"Kiyomi, I need to talk to you alone. Please." Byakuya said closing his eyes. I looked at him, I dint know if I want to talk to him. 'Demanding as always! 'I thought

"Kiyomi-san, I guess I will see you tomorrow the, please come by if you need anything or just send  _Ameotoko_ kun, I am always there." He said smiling, I let his hand go and I noticed Byakuya raising an eyebrow at Ukitake san's statement, I nodded at Ukitake san and he disappeared. 'Oh! His jacket!'

I did not look back to see Byakuya's reaction after that little incident, I dint want to give him any attention, I know by looking at him I would feel weak, which was last thing I wanted. I unlocked the door, and asked him to come in.

We sat in living room for some time, he did not speak, silence was making me nervous, I got up and went to kitchen to make tea for us. I had learned to make tea by now, Ukitake san taught me.

................

I was seeping the green liquid calmly hugging myself and tugging on sleeves of the jacket, it smelled like tea leaves and fresh lemon, I liked that smell...'Ukitake san does have a nice taste, I was thinking about all people and things about them, other than Byakuya to keep my sanity in that miserable silence. I looked over my shoulders just to glance at his frame to find Byakuya holding the cup, staring at it. He looked in deep thought.

SILENCE......

‘I never looked him in the eye, 'he could sit there for eternity and think for all I care, I won't start the conversation. He ignores me for decade and now wants to talk, after that incident in meeting. That was most insulting situation in my whole life, I, kiyomi fujiwara, whom people used to look up to, had admitted my defeat to my lover, well former lover. Tsk! Like I care!!'  I felt Ikazuchi Hissing and cursing. I could hear him in my head.

I was thinking about Ukitake san when Byakuya spoke in very low and hoarse voice,

"Kiyomi, I want to apologize for what happened. I am Sorry" he said, 

'Has he been shouting or yelling? Why sound like that, byakuya? ...........No. I don't care, I should not care....Ohh!! WAIT! WAIT! Was 'the Kuchiki Byakuya' apologizing?................ Seriously?', I thought.

I was shocked and that statement just made me look him dead in the eye to find that he was serious, he meant it. I did not say anything. I was just looking at him. He at me keenly with eyes narrowed and demanding me to speak, after some time his eyes and face relaxed,

"Kiyomi, please say something. Shout at me, ask me why I did that, blame me for ruining our relationship, ruining us, take your anger out on me, do something, please just do something." His voice was trembling with anger; his death grip on cup made it crack and fall to the ground creating green mess on ground. 

I stood up, went in to bring a cloth and napkin. I handed over napkin to Byakuya who took it while brushing his fingers to my hand, which made my eyes glassy, warm tears, started collecting in my eyes. That was so much missed 'touch', only one, in 30 years. I did not look at him but crouched down to clean the mess. I took all the pieces of cup in hand and went in kitchen. I was coming out after putting the broken cup and pieces into trash can; Byakuya was standing near door blocking my path. I looked down so as not to face him. I did not want to cry in front of him.

"Kiyomi?" 

_'Please, don't say it like that, I can't control myself, please, just stay away!' I thought._

"........."

"Kiyomi, I want to be with you again but not like the way we used to"

_'So you are not done with humiliating me yet, Byakuya! How much of insult am I going to take form you? What you want now? Just go away', I thought. I could not speak anything. Anger taking control over my mind._

"Byakuya san, that does not mean anything now. Its Ok, I forgive you if that's what you wanted now please leave” I said in low and cold voice putting all my strength to not show emotional stress like the terrible tornado whirling violently in my mind.  _Ameotoko_  hissed, I felt it, he could feel my emotional stress, and he also suffered for it, I knew he suffered.

"No, no, you mistake my intent; i did not mean it that way, Kiyomi, just listen to me."

".........." I did not say anything, I could not make anything out from those words.

"Say something. ..................[Pause].................So, do you not really love me now?" his voice was different. Not demanding but apologetic.

_'I would always love the Byakuya that was mine, you are not mine anymore, but still ……….tell me kami sama, why I can’t hate this guy.' I thought.'_

"I told you that day Byakuya san, it was you who stopped loving me, what does it matter anymore if I love you or not" I said in soft voice, tears were gathered all up again, I had to put all I had got to make them stop coming out.

"It matters to me. I know I shouldn't have done that, I was in love with you, i should not have so much as to touch her, and it was a mistake that I cannot forgive myself for. I was not; rather I am still not ready to face you. Something just took over my body, I don't know what happened. But I cannot undo what has been done. I……………….I took her innocence that day in Inuzuri Forest. It was like a spell, I could not believe that I did it. I knew it was wrong but still did it, I tried but never met her after that. I kept myself away from everybody, devoted myself to duty and kept myself away from all pleasures. I still plan on doing so. I can’t help but love you. I still love you. I want to make it up to you and her. Last thing she said to me was that she would hate herself that she did not try to protest. We have wronged you. She has made attempt on ending her own life. I knew that she would apologize to you right away; she is killing herself with the guilt. I too can’t live like this. I tried, I tried very hard. Can you give me another chance?" he said grabbing my hands.

I was staring at ground. I could not figure out what should I feel. 'Should i feel sad and betrayed for myself, angry at Byakuya, pity for Soura, but she did say that she never protested. So, she did like him, but she cannot do anything as she feels guilty. I know Byakuya is not a bad person. If he just wanted the physical pleasures he would have done it with me or any other girls from his fangirl club. He never did anything wrong then why this? He even apologized. But what about me? Why this has to happen to me?' a part of me was telling me to forgive him and just hug him saying ‘its ok, come back to me’, but I knew I was not that simple, ‘What about Soura? In a way, she has right to claim him more than I had. That is what is hurting me. Breaking me form inside out’

"You sure did live without me just fine for all these years Byakuya and I am learning to live without you, we have separated out paths for good now. I can see that you are a wreck, so am I, but I things have gone far more complicated now. Do you really mean that you wanted to make it up to me and her?"

"Yes. I would do anything you ask" his grip on my hands grew firmer.

I smiled sadly at my feet. Ameotoko was writhing in pain, I could feel it, I looked at the table, the sword was vibrating on wooden surface; water started oozing out form it. He was one taking all damage due to my extremely stressed emotional state which I refused to express.

"Well, she has suffered you know, as you said, she made many attempts to kill herself, you know what that means right. She would have become a hollow; she was under some unknown spell. Unohana san took care of her, she is now working in my division, I freed her from that servant family, now she is independent. She is a commoner but she is not a servant anymore."

"What are you implying?" Byakuya came closer to me, I took a step back.

"I know I love you and no one else right now, but what has been done can’t be denied and forgotten like nothing ever happened. She has tremendous amount of guilt in her mind. I don't want her to live like that. I have already forgiven her; she told me everything the day I came back. I have gotten over it now. You, on the other side, just abandoned me, never come to see me or talk to me for 10 years. That proves that though you have suffered as I did, you definitely can go on without me. On the contrary you tried to meet Soura many times and that made her guilt build up even more. She told me everything. She cannot even look me or rather she doesn't look me in the eye.”

 _Pause……………. [long pause]_ ……….. he did not say anything but brought me closer to him. I was trying to frame sentences and think how to say this without killing myself…

"Byakuya, I want you to marry her. Protect her with all you have. Be with her. I love you both. I know she would not agree but I will convince her." My voice was shaking all the time I said these lines.

I could feel Ameotoko lose his senses from the pain and appear in front of us, his eyes were red, like he cried buckets, I mouthed sorry and he looked at me sadly and nodded before he went out the window, the clouds started to appear in sky. Byakuya saw all that but did not say till he went out.

"Kiyomi....." he now grabbed my arms leaving my hands that made me look at him, my eye stung form the pain of tears I had forced stopped inside. He looked at me with hurt face. Longing was clearly written all over his face.

"I tried to meet her so that I could figure out what to do next. I did not know how to face you, Kiyomi. I was feeling so guilty. I love you so much; I still love you the way I used to. I have mustered all the courage I had to come here to talk to you. Please can you give me another chance to prove myself?" Byakuya said with hurt voice.

"If you ever loved me the least a bit, please don't come back in my life, marry Soura and give her the rightful place she deserves in your life. I know she is a commoner but you should know why I am asking this, so you will manage to convince the clan. So if you are really sorry, promise me that you will marry her" i managed to say in weak voice still avoiding to cry. His face was hurt and angry and sad. Many emotions were there. I was failing miserably at hiding mine.

"I promise you that I will marry Hisana" he looked down and said in low voice. A tear fell from his right eye; I gently wiped away it with my hand. "I will convince her for the marriage" I said tears starting to fall form both eyes. I closed my eyes expecting Byakuya to leave.

"Can I hug you Kiyomi, for the last time?" He asked in weak voice, I wanted to hug him from 30 years, I wanted to be in his arms for eternity, I want to be with him forever, but I could not. I knew he was not mine to have anymore.

I helplessly nodded, eyes still closed. He wrapped his arms around me, firmly plastering me to his chest. My nostrils filled with his musky scent, I gave a long defeated sigh, ‘Oh! I missed you so much, Byakuya, you are breaking my resolve.’ We stood there like that for some time. I reluctantly tried to pull away but he grabbed my shoulders with his hands and came close to me, his face close to mine, breath fanning my face, he moved closer to grab my lips but I quickly looked away. And in the next second my shoulders were released and I heard the door closed shut with a loud 'thud', he was nowhere to be seen.

I cried whole night,  _Ikazuchi_ was with me, angry and disturbed. I was lying on bed he was sitting in window looking at me cry silently.  _Ameotoko_ was not there in house.

\-------------------end of Kiyomi’s POV

...after that night Byakuya never came to talk to Kiyomi nor did she heard anything form her clan members or others until she received a letter absent from any clan marks, letter mentioned something about news that kuchiki clan has given permission to Byakuya to marry a commoner……….

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**After approximately 40 years**

Kiyomi has devoted herself to her work and divorced herself from feelings, things have changed, she had become more cold and distant, the burden she had 40 years before has lifted from her shoulders, she had forgiven both Byakuya and Soura aka Hisana for her to be able to move on.

She had become a respected sensei in 'Shino Academy' from which she has recommended many students Gotei 13 time to time to, which included shinigami like Histugaya Toshiro, Izuru Kira, Momo Hinamori, Hisagi Shuhei. She also found good candidates for her divisions. Aizen and Ichimaru gin had now become captains of 5th and 3rd division.

One of these days, Aizen confessed Kiyomi about his feeling and asked her to marry him. She politely turned him down saying she had a heartbreak and not in position to love anybody yet. He respected her feelings and asked if they still can be friends and if she would consider his offer in future, which was accepted by her.

Byakuya has become captain of 6th squad, head of kuchiki clan. Byakuya got married to Hisana as promised to Kiyomi, protected her with all he had. He faced many problems as Hisana was not a noble but he broke the rules and married her anyway. She looked for her long lost sister for years after marriage.

Hisana caught incurable disease, which caused her death after 5 years of marriage. When she was near her death she asked for to meet Kiyomi, she apologized for being pain till the end. Kiyomi came and talked with her but soon left the mansion crying silently for she knew she needed time with Byakuya alone. Hisana asked Byakuya to find and adopt her sister and to protect Kiyomi and Rukia with his strength. She apologized to him saying that she could not return the love he has given her. Hisana was his wife but she was more of a friend, she knew under what burden Byakuya was living, they never could become husband and wife for real but they supported each other’s pain and aching heart as their pain was similar, Hisana’s guilt and Byakuy’s had interconnection, Hisana always understood his uneasiness and had always been there in his weak moments when Byakuya cried silently for His love, his Kiyomi.

One year after Hisana's death, Kiyomi found out Rukia when she was accessing Renji Abarai, she informed Byakuya and Kuchiki elders, who immediately contacted Rukia. Soon enough, she was adopted to kuchiki clan. Rukia was graduated immediately and put in 13th squad. She was told that Byakuya adopted her due to her resemblance to Hisana, the lady Kuchiki. Rukia was unseated officer in 13th division and was treated like princes there, which was not familiar to her. The lieutenant however, treated her as friend and fellow shinigami, she respected him. During her time in division 13, Rukia became friends with  _Kaien Shiba, Kiyone Kotetsu, Sentaro Kotestubaki,_ they trained and encouraged her.

**Present day….**

**In 13th division,**

"Oi, Rukia, Kiyone, what are you doing here?"

"Huuush....Kaien _Fuk_ _Taichou_...don't yell!!" Kiyone said whisper yelling.

Kiyone, Sentaro and Rukia were outside the door of captain’s office, all their ears pressed on to the door,

He crouched down to them, glaring

"Tell me what is going on or I will tell captain!"

The door suddenly opened revealing captain Ukitake; he looked down at them and started laughing. Kiyomi looked at all four of them and asked them to stand up and go to work. Ukitake and kiyomi went to garden talking to each other and after some time kiyomi went to her division.

"Rukia san, come here" Ukitake said.

Rukia went to stand in front of him,

"Captain, I am sorry, it's just that I was told that I was adopted to Kuchiki clan because of her. I want to know why she did it." Rukia said in very embarrassed voice.

"Oh! Why did not you ask before, she just found you out because your appearance is similar to Hisana who was her friend that's all, but I am not at liberty to say any more than this. Kuchiki, look there is reason why you are here. And as far as she is concerned, Kiyomi san is very important friend, she is head captain of kido corps and she is also a noble. Please do not doubt her intentions she is nice person and never do anything wrong" Ukitake said in gentle voice.

"Yes captain, she is from Fujiwara clan, one with members in royal guards, I know. She was in gotei 13 before joining the kido corpse, right? " Rukia asked excitedly.

"Yes, she had been my friend for almost a century now, I know her since before she was of your age. We often see each other; I will take you to meet her if you want. On second thought please be ready in the evening, we are going for dinner at Kiyomi san's place" Ukitake said smiling.

"Would that be okay, Captain?" Rukia asked confused.

“Oh! Don’t worry Kuchiki, she is really nice person. Some incidents made her become so distant but she is not like that at all. She is really very nice, you will like her when you will get to know her.” Ukitake san said in very confident and proud voice.

“Do you like her captain?” Rukia blurred out before she could control then quickly shit her eyes.

“Excuse me?” Ukitake asked with wide eyes and surprise displayed on his face, but Rukia was quick

“Nothing, _sumimasen_ _Taichou_ , I have to go now captain!”

\------------------------------

General POV

That day Rukia met Kiyomi along with the others from their little group containing Kyouraku, soi fon, Aizen, Unohana along with Kiyomi and Ukitake who appear to be best friends. Rukia liked her; she came know that Kiyomi knew many people for kuchiki clan as well. Kiyomi was friends with Byakuya, she called Kyouraku _taicho_ Onii san [brother]. She was close to many captains like Ukitake, Unohana, Soi fon, Aizen, she had recommended many of shinigami from the academy which are in gotei 13 like her Hisagi. She heard her brother being referred as Byakuya by her while others addressing him as Kuchiki _Taichou_ , which she did find odd. Kiyomi appeared as cold and distant as her brother but she was a little less stuck up with the group of friends around. After that day, Rukia was sure that Kiyomi san had some connection to her brother Kuchiki Byakuya that nobody seemed to talk about and her captain Ukitake Juushirou was madly in love with Kiyomi san.

NOT a POV

Kiyomi’s life continues normally though there were always some disturbances in Seireitie but they were not too much for soul society to handle. After another two decades, Kaien and his wife Miyako along with few 13th division and 4th division members died abruptly because of hollow that kills enemy form inside out. This takes toll on Rukia as she has to be the one who ends Kaien shiba's life, few years later Isshin Shiba, captain of 10th division, after his mission in Nakuri city, he abruptly went to living world never to come back leaving behind his Vice-captain Rangiku Matsumoto and third seat Toshiro Hitsugaya.

**_[I am not describing these incidents as they are available in manga and known to be shown in anime to some extent and it will make story unnecessarily lengthy. I am simply registering them so as to continue the flow of the story. Here you go, its present time.]_ **

40 years after Rukia was adopted into Kuchiki clan, she was assigned to guard Karakura Town, in Human World for a month. She did not return to soul society in the given time neither did she report back for what reason she was elongating the stay.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In 13th division barracks,

**Ukitake's POV**

I was reading reports submitted by patrolling unit so as to complete my paperwork,

Knock knock

"Please come in" I said,

"Ukitake san, I need to tell you something" Kiyomi san said while coming inside and shutting the door behind her.

"What a pleasant surprise, how are you kiyomi san?" I asked worried.

She sounded different. Though she keeps her face emotionless I can read her eyes and tiniest changes in her voice and her tone. It's been a century since we became friends after all, I would know that much.

"Something the matter?" I asked. I was worried about her.

"Ukitake san, it's been nearly three months since Rukia was gone to living world but her mission was to report back in 1 month right? Have you received any reports form her? Or had there been any kind of communication for that matter? I have been informed me that Rukia is going to be punished, my people are preparing the cell as we speak." She said. I was shocked, my eyes went wide. I stood up and looked at her curiously.

"But I never asked them to pursue her actions, she sent regular reports for some time but they ceased after a month and half. Knowing her she would never do anything punishable! I waited for her to come. And why was not I informed. She is from my division, I don't understand!" I was confused.

"Ukitake san, apparently her shinigami powers had been reduced drastically and she was in  _gigai_  with unknown _shinigami_ wandering in karakura town, fighting hollows, you know what that means right? She gave him her powers or he took it. Either way, it’s a crime. They had agency people check it out and that's not all, we have been requested to prepare a cell in 6th division." She said like she was angry. Her eyes told me that she was angry and so was I.

"6th division? But why?" I asked her.

"Hmm….why indeed? I dug deeper, so found out that Byakuya and Renji were sent to bring her back and execute the human"

"That's ridiculous, why was I kept in dark, that is not going to work and what Byakuya is thinking?" She said in curt voice.

"It’s the central 46 and she will face death penalty, anyways we will only know after they arrive. I will inform you as they come, I have to go now" She said, I was going to ask Yamamoto sensei about this, I will try to help her and Kiyomi san will help me, we will solve this together. Speaking of which, this is not going to affect our meet, ‘Kiyomi san, I have become very addicted to you!’ I thought.

"Kiyomi san, we will be seeing each other the dinner, right?" I asked and she nodded.

"I am going to squad 1, I won't discuss about what you told me but I am going to ask him ....." I said but was interrupted by her.

"No. Ukitake san, please do tell him what I told you" She said firmly.

"But..." I knew that Sensei would not mind her telling me this, he knew all three of his students, me, Shunsui and Kiyomi san were really close to each other but the question still remains, 'why was I not informed?'

"I need to go now Ukitake san, see you soon" She said and left the office.

\----------------------------------------------------

After half hour,

My both thirds seat came, still bickering with each other, kneeled down and reported that Rukia has indeed been brought back in  _Seireitie_  and kept in 6th division.

I went to see her, she looked sad more importantly burdened, she wanted to say something but Renji's reiastu was approaching, I saw him coming. He greeted me and went to talk to her, she was offered dinner which she politely turned down. I bid them good night and left to see Kiyomi san.

\----------------------------------------------------------

**At Shunshi's office**

We all were having dinner,

"Ne, Kiyomi chan, why you think she did it? We know the rules, it’s forbidden to give away your powers to human" Shunsui asked kiyomi san.

"There are situations Onii san, where we have to do 'what we think is right' and 'not what others think is right'. We all know her, she is not bad person. I don't know how to save her. I could have protected her by using Fujiwara clan's name, if only she were not been adopted in another noble. I have my hands tied here. I mean she is one of Kuchikis, a noble, Byakuya can do something, we could have kept eye on the kid she gave power too, her powers would return eventually if she remains in soul society, no harm done." Kiyomi-san deadpanned. She sure can rival Byakuya or Soi Fon by now I thought.

"I don't know, he has become so distant and cold, she respects him but she is afraid of him too, he treats everybody like that they feel looked down upon." I said.

"He is good person, he kept all his promises, let us see what central 46 announces tomorrow" Kiyomi san said.

We kept discussing on the topic till the end of dinner. After dinner I walked her home and then left.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Kiyomi's POV**

I was sitting on tallest white building in Seireitie, I was thinking about Rukia's execution, life had been normal for years, this was a sudden setback, last bad incident was death of Kaien and Miyako, Isshin's disappearance was bad too but he was at least alive somewhere. I came here every day since the first time Aizen san showed me how beautiful seireitie looked from up here. I liked it here, best place to clear mind, he came here frequently, or you can say daily. We used to talk a little, we both liked silence, and he was a good company.

"Kiyomi san, I see, you are early today. You are worried about Rukia, I too think something is not right here, we will find out what is going on, I promise you I would take action against central 46 as and when necessary" he said, coming close to edge of small terrace of dome shaped ceiling of the building and sitting beside me just few feet away.

"Yes, this is so sudden, I don’t know what to do Aizen san. Things would get cleared soon" I said looking in sky. I knew he was looking at sky too. This was our daily practice. Good comfortable silence.

We were just sitting there, listening to wind blowing. Nobody said a word. After what felt like hours,

"Kiyomi san, have you thought about my proposal yet. It's been more than 3 decades; I waited the way you told me to. I still love you...to ...death" He said in very sincere voice that sent shivers down my spine, I always become scared when he asked me that, he had done it four five times till date.

‘Why did he ask this suddenly? I mean he had asked a few times after that day he suddenly confessed his feelings to me and after my refusal he requested not to change my behavior and treat him as friend. But it was never sudden after that, he asked about his proposal casually when we were talking about something related to life or love or marriage in general, but now! There was no reason! He was different today’ I did not look at him; I knew he was keenly looking at my face for reaction. I had practiced to keep straight face over years now, nothing made me change my face, not even this.

"Aizen san, I am sorry but it still is the same, I don't particularly like anybody that way now and it's not like I don't like you, but I like you as a friend, like Ukitake san and soi fon and others. Being friends would be best for us. Please Aizen san don't feel bad." I said still looking sky.

"I see. I thought Ukitake san is closer to you than others" He said in sad and hurt voice, ‘I felt bad for him. I knew people thought that Ukitake san and I was more than friends, he always is there with me and is never afraid of doing what he thinks us right. He is too sweet but people think that he loves me! Does he love me too? My god! What is wrong with all of these people, I can’t move past Byakuya and..’ I thought.

“No Aizen san, it is nothing like that. I mean he is a precious friend. But to tell the truth, my heart never got ready to love another person, it still mourns over the loss of the one whom it cherished beyond anything. I am sorry Aizen san. I wish I could move past all and learn how to be normal and the girl I was before I met that person” I said in low voice barely above whisper.

“No kiyomi san. I am sorry. I should apologize to because you pain of reminding that shall never be remembered. I hurt the person that I swore to make happy, that I have decided to love till I die. Kiyomi san, please just give yourself a chance, you have every right to be happy and one person betrayed you that does not mean everybody else will. Just let me mend your heart, I promise I will take care of it more than anything in this world”

I looked at him for a moment; his expressions were warm and gentle. His smile was sad. I got up for saying goodbye.

“Please kiyomi san, stay for a while, I won’t talk like that again. I really had no intension to make you sad. Please stay the way you always do.”

I sadly nodded.

There was silence again, after few more minutes, he spoke up again,

"Can we be on first name basis at least?" he asked with curiosity on his voice. I nodded.

An hour like this fled by, small questions and small answers, just like always, he never let me feel awkwardness after that moment.

We simultaneously stood up to leave,

"See you around, Sousuke kun" I said, he smiled and nodded.

"Definitely, Good night kiyomi san, take care" he said in gentle and lovely voice as always.

\-------------------------------------- end of Kiyomi’s POV----------------------------------------------------------------------

Next day my vice-captain gave neatly folder paper with symbol of central 46, mentioning the message came just before my arrival at office, I opened note, It said, 'The class one felon, Kuchiki Rukia, shall be confined on death row and from 25 days from now, shall be put to death in Central Court.'

**[little did she know, that Byakuya was uttering same words to Rukia standing in prison cell in 6th division, as indifferent and expressionless as this white note, with addition of "this shall be the last time you and I shall speak, Rukia, the next time we meet shall be on the execution platform." He said]**

‘25 days hun!! I still have time to investigate.’ Kiyomi thought.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	8. True face of Betrayal part 1

**Kiyomi’s POV**

**At Kiyomi’s Apartment**

I was sitting in my living room, trying to put together the pieces of information I gathered in last few days and was trying to figure out what to do next. I found out that there were discontinuities in the history of the process, ‘Something is not right, why she said that orders were receiving at her end, why her powers were not returning as they supposed to, why 13th division was not contacted to bring her back, why was she put in 6th squad’s prison cell, why was the standard procedures was not followed?’ 

I suddenly felt a spike in reiastu which was at far distance, I concentrated on reiastu, it was Ukitake san, I suddenly felt him grab my spirit ribbon, I jumped up, letting go of everything in my hand, I was in my baggy White T-shirt as usual, I put on capris and jacket, tied my hair in pony while putting on floaters, locked the door and ran where Ukitake san was.

He was in backyard garden near the Koi lake, hands and knees on ground, coughing up blood. I went over him quickly, crouched down on his right side, pulled his hair back with one hand, took my hairband out with the other and tied his hair with it. I supported his shaking frame putting on my right hand on his chest and put my left hand on his back and started caressing his back trying to sooth him. His rough coughing continued for a minutes, I knew about his illness, I had seen it before countless times, there was blood many times but not this much. He was shaking visibly now, his reiastu was growing weak, sending spikes, I used my right hand on his chest to put some reiastu in him, as if to heal, though I know it was not wound and healing kido won’t help, I just wanted to pour my reiastu in him and make him stop cough blood.

When the coughing stopped, he looked at me, embarrassed and guilty. Though he tried to cover his mouth, blood was everywhere on our cloths, grass, ground, his white hair had tainted bloody red, my right hand some droplets of blood,

“ _Sumimasen_ [Sorry], Kiyomi san how did you..” his eyes went back of his head, I panicked, I felt all his weight on my right hand which was supporting him, he started to fall. I quickly grabbed him up, threw him over my shoulder with using my reiastu, shunpo to his room. I went to bathroom, put him down, his T-shirt was mess, I went to his closet, took out a T-shirt I had checked the day when I had come here in the first time, changed his T-shirt, took a towel and run warm water for it to dip in. I wiped cleaned his hands, face, neck, palms off the blood. I took a mug of warm water to clean his hair. Pulled him up again and laid him up on his bed tucked him in blanket.  I called my zanpakutou’s , _Ameotoko_ volunteered to stay in Ukitake san’s vicinity till I come back. I went back to my home, changed into another T-shirt and capris and took all the papers with information in one bag and locked my apartment to run back to Ukitake san’s again.

I went there, _Ameotoko_ was healing him with his powers; I nodded at him and sat in door facing the garden, continuing with my investigation. I was thinking about many things like Rukia’s execution, the whole mess of procedures.

‘Aizen san would wait for me on the tall building today I would not be able to go’, I was worried about Ukitake san’s illness, I dint know when sleep claimed me. I slumped on floor, taking my knees closer to chest, curling up into ball, I went to sleep.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Next day I woke up with a thud of the door, I opened my eyes to find warm brown eyes blinking. It was Shunsui Onii san, he was looking at me with amused look on his face and sly smile playing on his lips as I was in Ukitake san’s bed.  I was shocked and quickly pushed away him and the blanket covered me and kept me warm. I looked around to find Ukitake san had been asleep with his back at me and he was at very edge of the bed.

“Juu wake up!” Shunsui san yelled and I stood up from my place and threw pillow at Shunsui Onii san.

Ukitake san also woke up; he too blinked several times, turned to us and then looked down at his hands and T- shirt

“Kiyomi-san, I am sorry. I should..” I raised palm in air and asked him to stop so as to interrupt him.

“Well, you can thank me with tea if you are feeling good and you have to thank _Ameotoko_ for his specialhealing treatment and not me, by the way how are you feeling now and how I got here in your bed?” I asked with stoic face as ever and hands on my hips.

“I asked _Ameotoko_ kun to pick you up and put in the bed, you were asleep on ground, I am sorry. It his magical _reiastu_ , that’s why I am not feeling the nausea and dizziness that usually is there after such a coughing fit, but I still have to thank you I found me and you must have had to clean all the mess and I ruined the cloths and……[he paused and blinked]..how did you find me like that? I…mean… How did you know Kiyomi san?” Shunsui Onii san snorted and spoke before I could open my mouth,

“C’mon Juushirou, you sneeze and she knows about it! No _reiastu_ can hide from this girl she knows about tiniest changes in our _reiastu_ as we go about our regular stuff daily, she can tell when I am having sake! Big deal! By the way I am sure you were a gentleman for the whole night and my sister is still …..

“Shunsui!!!!!!!!” Ukitake san yelled, wide eyes and face flushed. I had my eyes closed and hands on hips as they were having their little domestic,

“Ahem! Ahem! So c’mon now, you had good night sleep now make some tea.” Shunsui nii san said. I had an urge to roll me eyes which I easily avoided.

“You really act like an old married couple, Soi Fon is right.” I said looking at Shunsui Onii san dead in the eye, Ukitake san had just gotten up from the bed but he fell back hearing my statement.

“Please!!!! Who would marry such a pudgy dork?” Shunsui Onii san said smirking as he grabbed his hat and covered his eyes, he was mischievous I knew, but I was not in mood for his little plays. He would say something like that to provoke Ukitake san, but jumped into, to fight Ukitake san’s fight.

“first, don’t call Ukitake san a dork and second, he is not pudgy and third and most important he is not well so don’t start a chiding him first thing in the morning, married couple or not!” I deadpanned as matter of fact.

“Not pudgy, you say! How would you know, with all those cloths?” he yelled while running out of the room. ‘huh!’

“Pervert!” I yelled after him and sighed. I went over to Ukitake san, he had been massaging his temple and had a worried look on his face, I asked him if he was ok,

“Ukitake san?”

“Don’t mind him Kiyomi san and I am sorry for yesterday” He said while I was helping him getting up, he looked really pale.

“You mean if I were to be found in that condition you would not have helped me?” I asked raising an eyebrow. He looked at me wide eyed,

“Why Kiyomi san? I would always help you, whatever condition you are in.” He said with very innocent face and big puppy eyes. I nodded and spoke,

“So don’t thank me.” He smiled and I nodded.

We had tea together; I told him that he had missed yesterday’s captains meeting. Some _Rokya_ has tried to invade soul society while captains were in meeting. Ichimaru had intercepted them but they were still alive. Rukia’s execution procedure has changed to execution on _Soukyoku_ hill.  This method has not been used for centuries. I had to study to perform the procedure if I wanted to follow the orders. We were discussing these things over tea,

“Quite dramatic it was, the captains meeting!!” Shunsui _Onii_ san said.

“How could Ichimaru let them go?” Ukitake san asked really surprised.

“I had sensed their _reiastu_ too, they have complicated _reiastu_ pattern, some of them must be humans”

“Some of them? Kiyomi san?” Ukitake san asked in confused tone.

“ _Aah!_ [Japanese way of saying Yeah], the way their _reiastu_ spilt up yesterday, they are four or five, one of them is _shinigami_ , he has tremendous dormant _reiastu_. Let’s say he is equal to captain of 11 th division, if for the awoken power. Others are human with good deal of reiastu and one is very different. That is only I can tell, I have updated this to _Sensei_. He said _Gotei_ 13 would take care of the situation as it is their duty and Kido corps should not interfere.” I said as I took last seep from my cup.

“So they are roaming around? That’s not good” Ukitake san said worried.

“I can easily find them, I am going to take care of that _shinigami_ , rest of them are easy to handle, I just don’t want anybody to see me fight. I have very good idea why they must have taken such a risk” I said closing my eyes, standing up from my position, they also stood up.

 “So, you think this is about Rukia, right?” Came Onii san’s voice.

“Hmm, it’s just a hunch. I hope I am right. We need to stop this execution no matter what. I would be going now. I will come here again; I need both of your help. Ukitake san I have asked one of my men to find and deliver the _Shihouin_ seal to you, you know how to break it right. Onii san, one of them is stationary in the area that would lead him to your barracks if he wants to reach Rukia; I think you should hurry and get going there. Ukitake san, please conserve your energy, I will be back soon.” With that I nodded and flash stepped from there.

“She sure acts like a commander, giving orders like that” I heard Onii san said mockingly as I left them.

I left for home, took a shower quickly change into the uniform and headed to office. I was reported that Rukia was being kept at cell 4-deep in shrine of penitence. So the cell is not to be opened to anyone till hour of execution. 

A hell butterfly made its way to me fluttering its wings, I put out my hand to receive message of Ikkaku’s and Yumichika’s defeat and _ryoka’s_ where about still unknown. I let it go and closed my eyes to sense all the movements around _seireitie_ , 11th division members were taking on two of them, so _ryoka_ _shinigami_ was fighting 11 th division members now, his _reiastu_ was still building up and that was I worried about.

There were several 4th division members running around, one was approaching the two _ryoka_ causing the ruckus, Zaraki Kenpachi was aimlessly wandering around far away from the scene but his _reiastu_ was leaking like a mad man, two of the other human _rokya_ were intercepted by a _shinigami_ with considerable _reiastu_ , the other one, who had complicated _reiastu_ , was roaming around aimlessly. ‘Tonight I get to talk with the _ryoka_ _shinigami’_ I thought. I needed to visit Rukia without anybody knowing. I need to hear her side of the story.

\--------------------------------------------

I was doing my work and simultaneously keeping tab on _ryoka_ _shinigami_ , apparently they have some weakling with them, and I thought that it was the 4th division member they had kidnaped. I concentrated to find their location. After few minutes, I stood triumphal smiling, of course inwardly, I flash stepped to location hiding my _reiastu_. They were underground. I went inside the tunnels, hiding in shadows I wanted to know what’s was going on, I looked at them. A teenager boy with unbelievably bright orange spiky hair, black uniform, huge hilt-less and guard-less sword on back, sword was leaking his reiastu, so is it always in released form and he is that calm with it!! There was this man whose back was facing me, but he has symbol of _shiba_ clan on his cloths, ‘that’s it they came from west rukongai, with HER help.’ I figured out they had taken help of Shiba Kuukaku.

I concentrated on their conversation, they were goofing around, and orange head was pointing to poor 4th division member,

“What did you bring him for?” he said panic written over his face.

“What could I do? He was next to me so I just brought ‘im without thinking!” the shiba-pants said, ‘yup definitely a shiba, they all talk like that’ I thought.  

“Whadda you mean ‘without thinking’? Do you just pick up anything you see lying on the ground?” the orange head said.

“Shuddup. You dint notice him either ‘till a second ago!”. ‘They were in enemy territory and they were goofing around like that.  The 4th division boy was not looking like he didn’t want to be there and he had been kidnapped, hadn’t he? These don’t look like bad people’, I thought.

“P-Please stop, both of you! Don’t argue over me” the poor guy said.

“WHO SAID IT WAS OVER YOU!” both shouted in unison. ‘Wow! They are real piece of work’

“ _Datte_ [But], if you raise your voices, they’ll find us!” He said putting his hands on ears and crying.

They put their hands on mouth as if the yelling they did earlier was not enough. Huh! Jerks! I was not getting any Intel so far. I was deciding whether to continue following their movement or to kill them right there.

“But man, even if, like that Chrome-dome said, Rukia’s in the white tower, the problem is what route to use getting there.” That got my attention again. ‘So it was worth waiting instead of going and killing them. Looks like they came for Rukia! Alrighty!!!’ that made my hopes go up.

“Oh yeah, I got a map, lessee…” Shiba-pants took out a large white paper. “We sure don’t wanna run into any captains…If only we knew the enemy’s Positions…”  ‘Hun!! Captains? A head commander is standing a few feet away! Ever heard of sensing _reiastu_ , you Imbeciles’ I thought.

“Dude, there’s no streets on this map! What’s you say? Unn! _Nanda kura?_ [what is this?]” orange head said.

“Peace!” Shiba-pants said making a mighty face and putting fingers in air.

“This is your hand-drawn map?!” ‘Man, I was tired of these foolish acts’

“ _Nanda yo!_ [what?] Better than nothing!” Shiba pants raised his voice.

“Um…” the poor fella tried to speak only to shut off by Orange head,

“ _Ursai na_ [Shut up]. We are in a Strategy meeting. Don’t interrupt the conversation! ” ‘hun! Strategy meeting my foot!’ I thought. I wanted so much to punch them and ask what their plan was.

 “Actually, you can go home, Dude. Since you probably won’t be useful anyway.” Shiba pants said to poor 4th division boy.

“Geez” said the orange head.

“When you said Rukia, did you mean Kuchiki Rukia-san?” the 4th division member asked them looking worried sick. ‘Of course you dimwit, how many Rukia’s are in trouble right now’ I thought.

To my surprise, Orange head snapped at his statement and looked at him doubtfully. I had an urge to yell at them and their naïve minds.

“I knew it. You DID mean her. The younger sister of Captain Kuchiki of 6th squad and now a death row prisoner. So then, the ‘white tower’ must mean the Shrine of Penitence. I….know a way..a passage to tower. ” 4th division boy said.

With that I left those goons, I got what I wanted and they probably would head to right place with the poor looking boy’s help. The _ryoka_ _shinigami_ is strong. Probably he is the one who Rukia gave her powers to. Well now is time to meet Rukia and clear things a bit.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next day

I was in my office, having tea, I was keeping tab on orange head’s _reiastu_ and he was heading in right direction. There was another _reiastu_ where he was heading, ‘so another fight for him’, I thought.

\------

Few minutes after, I felt a huge spike of reiastu, ‘wow! He beat another bid shot!’ I stopped writing on the paper, concentrated on them, ‘It is Renji and he defeated Renji. He is good. Should I interfere now, I have to submit these to central 46. Why did they do this to Rukia? Regular punishment would have sufficed, even the regular death penalty was ok, but _Soukyoku_?’ I felt orange heads reiastu fall, both were stable now, guess he is injured too. ‘He should go in hiding again; I guess he will get treated too.’ I could not act openly, nor I can allow my men to interfere, this is to be taken care by Gotei 13, our job was just limited to punishment procedure. I guess, ‘It’s time to visit Mr. Stoic, Byakuya Kuchiki, hun!! Like I am to complain with his stoic face, I am no better!’ I thought.

I went to Ukitake san, we both decided to visit Byakuya, on our way I told him all that has happened.

When we reached where Byakuya was, we saw injured Renji, worried Hinamori and Kira Izuru.

“Put him in Holding cell.” He was saying to Himamori. Kira Izuru was also there. Byakuya was looking at injured Renji with stoic face. We stood there for him to finish.

“ _Demo_ [but],Abarai-kun, fought the _ryoka_ by himself! But still ..” Himamori was worried and trying to resist Byakuya’s rage but..

“I will not hear excuses. To enter a fight alone means defeat is utterly unacceptable. I have no need of a fool who does not comprehend that. He is an eyesore. Take him this instant.” With that he turned around to leave but stopped dead in his tracks seeing me.

Anybody would have thought that he was heartless bastard, who could leave his injured lieutenant medically unattended and let Rukia die, but I knew that he did this to keep Renji away from further fights. If he would do something to go against the decision of the execution Byakuya would have to fight Renji and that would be 100 times worse than this fight.

“Please wait a moment! You make it sound like Abarai-kun… You make it sound like Abarai-kun..” Hinamori had clenched fists and angry look on her face, she was such a simpleton. Byakuya looked over his right shoulder to glance at them.

Kira stopped her and apologized to Byakuya.  She also did apologize after that. Kira said something to her. Then she came running towards me,

“Fujiwara _Sou_ _Taichou_ , have you seen Aizen san? Please tell me.  Has he met you yesterday? He is acting weird since last few days, I am so worried. I know he would tell you. Please would you tell him to talk to me at least once” I could feel Byakuya’s Reiastu flare to the level that could have affected Hinamori, his eyebrow had twitched at her statement; I knew what that reaction meant.

I don’t know why but she was the girl that always had this expression on her face as if she hated me most. She always had that irritated look on while talking to me. She was too naïve. I helped her get onto _Gotei_ 13 though she didn’t know about it but I thought it was a mistake she was too simple minded to be around here. I kept my distance from her. ‘She was head over heels in love with Sousuke-kun and never able to see Toshiro’s feeling for her. She knew it’s not going to work between Sousuke kun and her. She is not his type. Geez! I have important things to take care of. I can’t help whole world you know, I have my own limitations.’

“Hinamori-kun, I don’t know where he is and I have not seen him since two days. Now if you will excuse me I have to go” Kira came and spoke to her,

“Hinamori-kun, lets follow orders and take Abarai-kun to holding cell.” He said, I sensed Inchimaru’s _reiastu_ and motioned Byakuya and took Ukitake san’s hand and asked them to follow me. Last thing I wanted was to see that creep. ‘I know he is up to something. Sousuke-kun told me not to contact him and stay away from Ichimaru. I don’t know what he wants and I don’t want to know’ I thought.

Before we could land somewhere to talk a captain’s emergency meeting was called up. Byakuya looked at me as to ask permission to leave, I made a face for a second ‘who in the _seireitie_ was I to stop them’ but then I nodded he went leaving us. I told Ukitake san to go too and I went over _ryoka_ _shinigami’s_ location.

I was walking, my _reiastu_ was completely sealed by the pendent I was wearing. I made my way to orange head. While on the way, I heard shouts of ‘Special War time Orders!’ and the wooden alarm going off. I needed to change my plan. I concentrated in orange head’s _reiastu_ , it was stable and was being treated. I waited for moment to sense all captains _reiastus_ , they were dispersing form squad one. ‘Geez! That was quick.’ I went to 8th squad to see _Onii_ -san. On the way I saw Sousuke kun. He smiled at me and waved as ‘good bye’. I did the same.  It was late in the night, but _seireitie_ was as lively as day, I haven’t slept much since this _ryoka_ invasion started. I went to Shu-nii-san’s office to find it empty. I stood there thinking about recent events. ‘Soon dawn would arise’ I thought looking up in starry night sky. I went to roof top and sat looking at starry night. I wanted to be alone for a moment. I laid on my back to look in sky never to realize when sleep claimed me.

I woke up with first rays of morning sky. I went home, did all morning rituals and locked door to head out to office. I sat I office to receive note form Ukitake san. I was reading it, vice-captain made way in asking permission first. He told me that date of execution has been moved up again. I told him to make a squad of 8 people and practice the kido for _Soukyoku’s_ release. Its release would require large amount of reiastu, I needed to be the one, but whole team must participate in the incarnation spells.

I suddenly felt as reiastu spike, I tried to find who it was, suddenly there were one spike after another, _reiastu’s_ were pouring in, I felt captains releasing their _zanpakutou_. ‘What is going on? Is that orange head causing this?’ I concentrated to find out; it was Toshiro and Gin along with Kira, Hinamori and Rangiku. I asked one my stealth squad to go and investigate and report me immediately.

Some of the people form the stealth squad came after half hour or so with shocking news. Sousuke kun was been killed and Hiamori-kun blamed Ichimaru Gin for his murder. Toshiro-kun was fighting him. It was impossible. I still could sense his _reiastu_. But things were pretty messed up. I dint say anything and dismissed him. ‘I have to go and see for myself’ I thought. But I could not ditch my work. My 5 th unit head came and reported that his subordinates were sent to keep Hinamori and Kira in special detention centers.

After sometime, I felt orange-heads _reiastu_ near the place where he fought Renji, felt change in Shu-Nii-san’s Reiastu, _reiastu_ of that creepy 12 th division captain… ‘What his face…aah! Kurotsuchi Mayuri’, everybody was getting ready for fight and I was doing the boring work. I felt Zaraki Kenpachi’s _Reiastu_ clashing with the _reiastu_ of _ryoka_ _shinigami_ , I knew he was strong and could get stronger but he is not match for Zaraki-kun at this moment. I think I will have to go to save him. I ditched the papers on my hand, asked my vice-captain to take over and not to tell anybody that I was not there. They all have become so attached to me, instead of _Taichou_ they called me _sensei_ when not in presence of _Gotei_ 13 officers. I had spent nearly a century with them now, I personally knew each and every body, the whole kido corps was my huge family with me as head of the family and they all do as I say without back talking.

I left the division with completely concealed _reiastu_ making my way where Zaraki-kun’s _reiastu_ was, I was in half way, a spike in reiastu make me halt in middle of flash step and I landed on nearby roof,

“Ukitake san?” I thought out aloud. Why his _reiastu_ changing. I concentrated on him, he was in bad shape and it’s one of those ordeals again. I left the orange head in hand of _Kami sama,_ went to take care of my best friend, he was alone and nobody was there near him. ‘I can understand, there is lot going on outside, Kiyone and Santaro had special work Ukitake san had given them and others are may be around 13th, guarding and looking out for _ryoka_ , Shunsui Nii san is fighting, I should go to help Ukitake san.’ I changed my direction and ran to Ukitake san.

I reached his place, he was out cold on floor of his office, blood staining the floor, his hands and the cloth he had clutched in his hands, I picked him up bridal style, ‘Man, he is heavy! Well what you expect, he is taller and muscly than me! Wait! Wait wait!!Don’t think that I am a pervert.. ok, Uuuurgh!! Shuddup brain! I need to use reiastu or I will have to call out _Ikazuchi_ ’ I thought.

‘I can help, Kiyomi sama’ I heard Ameotoko saying in my head. ‘Ursai na..You can heal him later. She needs to carry him into place where nobody would see you. Use your _reiastu_ kiyomi.’ Ikazuchi said.

I threw him over shoulder and ran to his _Ugendo_ in the lake in 13 th division area, laid him on futon, he was cold and shivering, I took out cloth in his hand, cleaned his face and hands with another cloth, dumped everything in trashcan, tucked him in blanket and waited till his breathing even out. I was caressing his head and forehead to help, I couldn’t help but feel worried about him.

I called out _Ameotoko_ and told him to take care of Ukitake san, he started his magic placing his hand on Ukitake san’s head and on his own chest. I sent out a hell butterfly to Kiyone asking her to come to take care of Ukitake san. Orange head’s reiastu went extremely down so was Zaraki’s. Byakuya was heading to the location, I didn’t want those goons die, I told _Ameotoko_ not to leave Ukitake san alone for a second. He nodded and I flash stepped to the shrine of penitence.

When I reached the bridge, the Shiba boy was a bloody mess, Rukia was holding out her hands in front of the boy form 4th division to protect him from the upcoming attack asking byakuya to stop, boy looked like he was about to die from fear and Byakuya had his sword released in shikai, I had to do something before hell break loose. I took out Ikazuchi and was about to jump in when Byakuya was moving his hand to attack Rukia, Ukitake san came out form thin air and gripped his wrist to stop him, I was shocked what was he doing here, I just came from his place, I jumped up on the bridge above them.

“ _Yare, Yare [dear, dear],_ so dangerous! Why don’t you stop about there, Captain Kuchiki?” He said in enthusiastic voice. ‘Why is he here? Dint I just put him in his bed!’ I was worried and annoyed.

“Ukitake Taichou..” Rukia said all worried.

“Howdy, Kuchiki. You have lost a little weight. _Daijobu ka_ [You okay]?” ‘Yeah, she was enjoying her vacation in prison cell, seriously? Ukitake san!!’, I was mad, I don’t know for exactly what! ‘For Byakuya was going to kill Rukia like that? Or for the fact that Ukitake san was here while he should have been resting! I mean why I went through all the trouble of taking care of him?’

“What you think you are doing, Ukitake?” Byakuya said. ‘Man, no respect for _sensei_ , he is fellow captain, at least add honorifics, Byakuya. What a man!’ I thought. I was sensing a large _reiastu_ coming this was. ‘About time, orange head!!’ I thought.

“ _oii, oii,_ [hey, hey] , that’s my line. Releasing one’s soul slyer in a place like this is class 1 forbidden act. Maybe it is for the sake of repelling _ryoka_ , but what are you thinking?” ‘Oh! I never got to talk to him, about all special wartime orders given to _Gotei_ 13\. Man! Why I am not in _Gotei_ 13.’

“By special wartime order, the release of soul slayers had been permitted.” Byakuya said in cold voice.

“Special wartime order? The _ryoka_ intrusion has become that serious? Don’t tell me the one who killed Aizen was.. ” Ukitake san could not complete the sentence, he looked up in the sky, the overwhelming spiritual pressure was experience by all of us.

‘Here comes the orange head’ I thought.

“ _Nanada kono reiastu wa?_ [what is this sprit force?] Its clearly captain level, but I don’t recognize it.” Ukitake san said staring up in the sky; I quickly hid myself before they could see me floating above them like that.

“This feeling of this spirit force…it can’t be…” Rukia said, so this was it, she knew him, only if she had told me about him the day I went to talk to her. Why did she not tell me, why did she want me not to take any action? Why had she made peace with the idea of dying? He came above us, in his hand was some flying tool. ‘Wait why am I sensing Yoruichi san’s _Reiastu_? Am I going mad?’

“Ichigo..” Rukia said. So, that was his name. Ichigo? Huh!! Strawberry? Yuk! What a name for a man to have! She had ‘long lost lover’ look on her face. He landed beside her. The tool retracted, ‘yes, I am sensing Yoruichi san’s _reiastu’_ it was Shihouin clan’s tool.

“ _Diaijobou_ _ga_ hanatarou? [You ok, Hanatarou?] Sorry, it turned out I put you in some scary situations by making’ you go ahead.” That orange head, no, Ichigo completely ignored poor Rukia and went to 4 th squad boy. What was his name again?‘Hana…’or somryhing.

“Oh no, not at all, I’m fine.” Hanatorou, was it? The boy said.

“Rukia. I am here to save ya….what’s with that look..? I came here to save ya. Act little happier.” He shouted finally looking at shocked and confused and little annoyed Rukia.

“ _Baka Mono_ [you fool] !! I told you not to come. That…I wouldn’t forgive you if you come.. you are all torn up..” her voice trembled and she felt like would cry at the moment. She was angry but I could feel happiness in her _reiastu_. She was relieved that he is not dead though he was all bandaged up. The fight with kenpachi _Taichou_ had took its toll on Ichigo’s body.

In fact she was about to get torn up from inside, it was cleat as crystal they loved each other, well situation looked all ok. I flash stepped towards my office, if anything went abnormal, Yoruichi san was on her way there, this must mean she came with them, if she wants she can talk to me. I am not going to pursue anybody anymore. ‘It’s all ok if I am not here now’ I thought.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_In the Evening_ **

That day Ukitake san came at my place in evening, told me what happened, Yoruichi san was with the _ryoka_ , in fact she was one of them and I was listening to him responding with an occasional nod or ‘hum’.

We were sitting in my study; I had lot of reports to sign on so I brought them home, I was reading and signing them one by one. I was mad at many things now but kept my face stoic as usual. I had not expected anybody would come to my place given the incidents keeping _Gotei13_ busy, but as usual Ukitake san had arrived, not a day passed in many decades we had dinner separately, sometimes Shunsui Onii san would miss, so did Aizen san and Soi fon but Ukitake san was always there even when I visited my parents at Fujiwara mansion he came with me, not that I minded it a bit, his presence was always soothing and merry, he also had helped me a lot recovering pain and trauma my broken heart and my disappeared best friends had given me. But today was different; I really wanted to be alone. Ukitake san was sitting near me, reading something from a book he had in his hand, occasionally talking to me.

“Ne, Kiyomi san? You did not stay to see Yoruichi san. You left before she came, right? You knew she was coming that way, dint you?” Ukitake san said. I glanced at him quickly before returning my attention on the paper on my desk I had seen that while he talked he was looking out of the window and sitting beside me, looking all sad and worried.

“Hmm” I said without looking at him from my paper work. I knew he is just talking some general stuff, nothing of importance right now, ‘I just had to respond him like this and that’s that, anyways whatever I do, there is no meaning in that, I better keep doing the work of my division and forget about _Gotei_ 13 matters. I would get good deal of time for myself that way.’ I was actually angry but I would never admit it to myself.

“I have found out the procedure for breaking the seal as you said that time”

“Hmm”

“Shunsui fought one of the _ryoka_ , he said he was not the one who would fight un-thoughtfully”

“Hmm”

“It’s bad that three of the vice-captains are in the prison cell when the time is this critical, though you said that they are not bad people, somebody is taking advantage of their ruckus, the one who killed Aizen is still out there, and we don’t know their motive.”

“Hmm” ‘his pace of throwing sentences at me increased, so did mine.’

“Kuchiki sure has made good friends, they are risking their lives for her, they are all locked up but they are getting treatment for their wound. One of them is Quincy. We thought that they have been destroyed but there was one.”

“Hmm”

“You are ignoring me.”

“Hmm”

“Will…um…will you marry me?”

“Hmm”,

‘Shit!!!’ that made me snap out. I shot my head up from paper to the wall in front of my desk, feeling embarrassed.

There was silence. Long thick silence. I had shot my head up but I did not look at him yet. But when I tuned my head to look at him, he was looking at me wide eyed, mouth covered by hand, his green eyes on me, after a moment of silence. I cleared throat.

“Umhh….Ukitake san, something you said? Do you need something?” I asked I felt my face warm. Was it blush! If it was, it sure had been long since I blushed like that. ‘Che! Forget it’. My mind relaxed like a machine would stop working after pushing a button. And that blush too must have disappeared as I felt normal again.

“No!….Um….. I mean yes, I need to use your Kitchen, can I?” ‘What’s with the stuttering’ I thought.

“Yes” I said with stoic face but narrowed eyes. He smiled awkwardly, stood up and went to kitchen that I never got to know what really did happen!! ‘Did he really say that? Did he really mean it or eas just wanted me to listen him or look at him?’ Ameotoko appeared and floated in front of me, he was sitting in air,

“What is it Rain boy? What happened now? I did not say anything that will make your Ukitake san sad or angry, happy now?” He smiled at me sadly.

“Kiyomi-sama, I am part of you, I like him means you like him, I am infatuate……..” he was cut off by suddenly appeared _Ikazuchi._

“ _Ursai na!!!_ [shut up], she is hurt. Go and watch him, we both know what ya want and I am warning you, you not to say anything that will stir Kiyomi’s heart. We are part of her damn it! You should understand how she feels, we don’t have our own existence, we are mere fraction of what Kiyomi is, you are not to force your feelings on her, now scoot!!” _Ikazuchi_ yelled at _Ameotoko_ and I simply rasied my eyebrow at them,

“Hai, Ikazuchi _senpai, sumimasen_ [sorry] _,_ Kiyomi sama” With I watched him as he floated to kitchen. I shook my head and spoke,

“What? Why does he listen to you, hun? What do you mean by he wants to watch him?” I asked.

“Nothing you need to worry about, do your work. Che!! I should not have taught him to gain the human form in the first place” he said and Tsk!-ed again.

“Oh, you are ordering me around now, are you? That is why you are senpai and I am Kiyomi sama, hun?”

“Tsk!! You are our master! Have you forgotten that? We are part of you kiyomi, I am your aggressive and bold side and he is your polite and loving side. Go figure.” He said narrowing his eyes on me.

“I am master, yes! So if I order you to go being swords, you would obey, right?” I asked in mocking tone.

“No, I won’t, huh!! I am going and sitting on window, do your work” with that he went to sit on window.

Ukitake san came out put _Ameotoko_ in sword form on my right side and went inside again. The moment I spoke of them being returned in swords, _Ameotoko_ had become a _katana_.

\---------------------------

About hour later, Ukitake san came out sat uncomfortably close beside me. I was signing on my last paper, I wanted to put some good distance between us. I put the paper in the stack, secure it with the weight. I put my pen away on the desk I was working at and was about to get up when Ukitake san grabbed my hand and gently pulling me to him slightly, I tuned to him sitting so as to face him now, he took my other hand in his hand, his hands were warm, his smile was sweet.

“Kiyomi san, I know you are angry, you have every right on being angry with me but please don’t ignore me” he said in sad voice.

He was looking hurt and he was very serious when he said that. I looked at his big green orbs. They are beautiful, ‘why is he saying that? Am I that mad at him?’ I thought.

“I know you took care of me and didn’t want me to get hurt, you must have felt bad when I came to stop Byakuya when you just had saved me and told Ameotoko-kun to treat me too. Please don’t get upset with me, I can’t go on like that, I can’t live without you talking to me.” Now, I was feeling sorry for ignoring him, I had made him upset. ‘But was I really mad at him? So was I taking out my anger on him?’ I didn’t say anything but my face was stoic.    

“I didn’t want to hurt you by neglecting the care you had kindly offered me Kiyomi san. But if I had not come you would have stopped Byakuya, knowing him he would have had reported _Sou_ _taichou_ of the Kido corps’ interference with _Gotei_ 13, you would be punished and that crime would have lost you your title and if in any case, you would have fought Byakuya, you would have been exiled which I can’t not possibly live with” He said looking down at our hands,

“Ukitake san?” I said. The corners of my lips threatened to twitch up. I forced back the smile but his words mad me relax my face a little.

“Aah, there you smiled! Just a little but you did! Why don’t you smile often Kiyomi san, we all loved you smile. I am sure Yoruichi has some plans, she will come to see you, I am sure of it” he said making an apologetic face.

I nodded, looked down to my hands, he held them firmly. I wanted to say sorry to him right now but I couldn’t help but fill tingling at my hands, the warmth in his touch was different this time, I felt a silver of uneasiness back at my mind. But it did not feel wrong, he should not be holding my hands like this, without any apparent reason he should not be holding them like this, then why it doesn’t feel wrong?’ I thought.

Suddenly I felt time stop and I went into a trance, memories started being brought up of the time since the time I first set foot in the training grounds with Yoruichi almost 100 years back, time when I first met Ukitake san and Shunsui Onii san…Ukitake san training me……..Ukitake san praising my paintings, Ukitake san smiling at me while having tea, Ukitake san cooking for us, Ukitake san intently listening me playing piano, Ukitake san bickering with Shunsui Onii san on trivial matters so as to bring humor out in situation when I felt low and sad, Ukitake san trying to cheer me up in boring clan meetings, Ukitake san holding my hands as I clench them too hard and draw blood out, Ukitake san teaching me how to cook and numerous such memories…….till today I saved him from blood loss and tucked him in his blanket…

‘I thought I was mad at Yoruichi, Rukia, Byakuya and this title of Kido corps commander, secluding me from the events but I was madder at Ukitake san for risking his health like that, why? I very angry at him, I never realized till now! What possible right I had to ignore and hurt him like this! Why he always is there with me, by my side, all the times! How many days it has been, how many years! More than a century, he is there in every situation. Happiness, sorrow, celebration, heartbreak, illness, battles, time, nothing could make him stay away………he is no doubt my best friend, sensei, ally, much more! Ukitake san, why does it feel right when you hold my hands; just tell me?’ I was thinking very hard, I started to feel a mild headache. I closed my eyes and he continued.

“Ameotoko helped me come there when I said this to him; he just used something that I didn’t understand and we were there on the bridge in matter of seconds. He has amazing abilities kiyomi san.” I opened my eyes, nodded at him and smiled genuinely this time. He made a very happy face.

“He likes you, as in you are his favorite person. He only talked to you and Onii san. He just ignores the others.” I said still looking his hands which held mine, I removed them form his grip gently. He let go off my hands but he lingered his fingertips longer than necessary while letting go which made me look in his eyes again, ‘His expression was more than just worry and sadness. Was there longing??’ I suddenly felt empty and felt my heart heavy with unknown burden. ‘Why am I feeling that I am going loose something important, why Ukitake san feels different?’ I thought. I felt Ameotoko was silently crying, he was the one who always suffered when I get into emotional stress, he sobbed before he spoke,

“ _Because, all these times there was reason holding your hands, all the reasons you mentioned so far, now is the different reason, he wants your attention; Kiyomi sama you were ignoring him before he went to the kitchen. He was really hurt but still he tried to make some humor out of it. You know he asked if you are ignoring him, you said ‘hmm’ carelessly, exactly the way you were responding before that. Then after that he asked if you would marry him, you just said ‘hmm’, that’s why, can’t you see it yet? It’s been a century; it’s enough time to figure out.”_ _Ameotoko_ said in my head. ‘Shit!!’ I thought.

“Kiyomi san, I prepared dinner for us? Where do you want to eat, here or living or garden or roof?” he said.

“Why you work so hard Ukitake san?” I asked after I sighed at _Ameotoko’s_ statements.

“Living room?” He asked. I again gave a sigh in defeat and nodded. He smiled and went to kitchen.

I went to kitchen to help him, we took out plates and went to the living and had dinner. I was feeling my mind going numb from all the thinking I was doing but I was observing him as well, he was his usual self, no changes in his behavior, he is always been like this, no sigh of being love stuck puppy or anything, he was talking exactly the way he always does. So all this time, all this years, he was feeling like this, he just learned how to live with it and never worded it out. Just being friends like this was enough for him? He never left my side, no matter what? He knew about Byakuya. I had told him about the proposal Sousuke made too.

‘Oh! Kami! I have to stay on my guard around him too like I do with Sousuke kun, do I? But he is great friend, he has been all these years, I can’t just keep doubting him. He always has been a gentlemen, I mean he is most kind, humble and modest person in whole soul society. He had faced bad days too, had terrible past, his disease which he had caught when he was just 3 and had been fighting with the horrible disease since then, he is been captain since more than a century, he is powerful and noble, he is a good person.’ I thought.

We talked on normal topics from as normal as the books we were reading currently to as horrible as the recent mad events happening in soul society. I talked awkwardly but he seemed to at ease, he even washed dishes while I dried them before putting them in their proper place, then we spent little time together while eating dessert,

‘I kind of feel sorry for Ukitake san now because I still have Byakuya in my heart. Even though my heart was shattered, whatever is left of it, it is Byakuya in that, only him, even after century, I couldn’t move on, what should I do, am I going to die mourning over my broken heart?’ I was silent and was still thinking. I felt broken, I had had cut myself from these thoughts, so that they won’t affect me every now and then, but today, they came again to remind me of my broken trust and pain due to wound in my heart.

I still was in the deep thoughts, he took the empty bowl from my hands went to kitchen; he must have washed the both of them and then came out after 10 minutes. I looked at him; he smiled before he spoke,

“Kiyomi san, so…..you …...you are not angry at me anymore, right?” he asked scratching back of his head making innocent face.

“No, I am not” I said, I wanted to smile at him but my face didn’t listen.

“ _Yogatta_ [thank god!], so, Kiyomi-san, I should get going ne, let us se…”

“NO” I interrupted him suddenly; I don’t know why but I did not want him to leave yet. He stood there amazed and stared at me innocently. I shook my head and sighed.

“Ohh! Ukitake san, you can stay, I mean stay here tonight.” I said looking at him with straight face. His eyes went size of dinner plates, his jaw dropped. I slightly smiled at his face and spoke,

“You will catch a fly, like that you know.  I just meat that I have a spare bedroom, it’s still unstable environment out there and you can stay here. We have big day tomorrow, please rest here and spend some time together, while………[I closed my eyes as I paused]……………while we still have time.” There was a silence, I heard footsteps and opened my eyes.

“What are you saying, kiyomi san?” Ukitake san said in worried voice. He came to me crouched down and was on knees so as to bring his face to my level. His deep green orbs meet mine.

“I am sorry that I did not share this with you and Onii san first but I would like to tell now. If we cannot find that seal, I am going bankai on _Soukyoku_ that’s the only way to save Rukia’s soul, if she gets executed like that, her soul will turn into million small soul particles and those will remain in the particle form for eternity. She would not be born again in any world. It would be a true death! If I am killed while fighting it, I may have chance of regenerating because of _Ameotoko_ ; no other _zanpakutou_ has that ability.” I was staring at ground while saying all of this.

“You will not do anything like this!” He said in scolding voice, I looked at him and his face relaxed.

“Kiyomi san, What about me! I mean what about us, me, Shunsui, your parents, all of your friends. I know we cannot let Kuchiki die, but please reconsider!” he said now coming too close, invading my personal space.

He took my hands and kissed on my right hand. He kept his lips on my hand for long and started me in the eye with sad look. After some minutes, he took his warm and soft lips away from back of my hand and slowly he stood up making me stand up with him as well. When I was up and standing near him, he wrapped his arms around me, I don’t know how but I relaxed in his arms within second, I felt warm and safe, I hugged him back and tears started escaping my eyes without me knowing. My nostrils were filled with the smell of fresh lemon fruit and tea, he smelled like fresh lemons and tea, I felt his soft, silky hair tingling my face and my hands where I had putting them on his back while hugging him firmly. I knew I should not have responded him, I should not have encouraged his feelings like that but it did not feel wrong, nor did it feel awkward.

_‘May be I should have given myself a second chance, I could have found love again, I have been ignoring you Ukitake san, but I couldn’t help but think about time I spent with Byakuya, I guess my feeling about him won’t change, but I won’t let them allow the get in way of my goal. Its ok if I die tomorrow, I have some people who loved me without expecting anything in return, unlike those who betrayed me, who I thought were my best friend. I have some people who love me selflessly, My parents, my brothers, Eita Nii san , Shunsui Nii san and YOU! Ukitake san I am sorry I cannot return your feelings, May be I should have given us a chance, only if you would have told me before, NO! It still would not have worked. I am sorry Ukitake san, you are an amazing person. At least I am not dying in vein and there would be some people like YOU, mourning my death. I am honored to have you guys around me and by my side’, I thought._

“Kiyomi san!!”  He said in worried voice as my tears did not stop, I felt his fingers against my scalp, he was caressing my head. He was still holding me tight in his gentle and warm embrace. _Ameotoko_ was right, all this time he did feel that way, my heartbeat was normal but his was elevated, his pupils were dilated when I looked at him tuning my head slightly up, his eyes held love for me. ‘So, he is been hiding his feelings. For more than a century? For that long? He never said anything, he knew I had Byakuya in my heart all along!’

“Kiyomi san, we would make it in time, please do not release you sword. I promise I will be there.” He said while staring at me worriedly. There was a loud know on window panel.

“Yo! Juushirou, what are you doing to my sister!! Don’t you dare use your charm on her, she is not going to be with such a pudgy dork, I am not going to let that happen” Shunsui Nii san yelled form the open window in amused tone.

“Shunsui we are discussing very serious matter and you..” Ukitake san said in low but serious voice without letting his grip loosen on my crying form.

“Haa!! Holding her in your arms and looking like that? What are you two discussing about?” he said. I withdraw out myself gently from him and wiped my face off tears. I tuned slightly to face Shunsui nii san, I pointed a finger to him while putting other hand on my hips, I put up a best straight face of all times and spoke,

“We were discussing about your and Ukitake san’s Marriage. As you are my brother and he is my best friend, he was convincing me that he is right person for you and was asking my permission”, I said in curt tone but hoarse voice.

‘THUD’ was heard. ‘Poor Ukitake san!’

Ukitake san had fainted hearing me speak such a gross thing after such a warm hug he got from me and Shunsui Nii san was laughing his head off. I had slight smile on my face. ‘I am cruel to you, aren’t i?’ I thought, ‘But, I am sorry, Ukitake san.’ Onii san picked Ukitake san up and went to 8th division leaving me alone with my thoughts. I told Shunsui san to take care of him.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Day of Rukia’s execution**

Next day we were preparing for various procedures, it was the day of execution; various teams were assigned for various tasks, releasing the lock of Rukia’s neck band, escorting her to the hill, position on cross spells, releasing _Soukyoku_ being most tedious. I was one leading the team towards the _Soukyoku._ We had weird uniforms, hiding out faces and all,

When I left the division, I felt Renji fighting Byakuya, ‘Renji’s _reiastu_ has increased very much’ I thought, but he lost soon. I could feel his pain in his _reiastu_ , it made me hiss, I told my team to continue marching towards hill, I went to find Unohana san. I grabbed her and brought her near the collapsed structure and asked her to heal Renji, he was a mess, I was feeling tension on my father’s _reiastu_ since many days, but I could not visit him as visiting inside the central 46 office and in residence of the was forbidden and he has not come home since.  Rukia was being brought near the hill, I was sensing spikes on _Reiastu_ of Komamura, Tousen and Zaraki. They were with the Lieutenants. ‘Right, Zaraki was the one who broke _rokya_ out’, I thought.

I rejoined the team heading towards the Hill for execution after dropping off Unohana san, we made all the way up there and _Soukyoku_ was such a marvelous sword, what a shame I have to destroy this or at least try to.

Rukia was standing staring at the ground, there captains and vice captains were talking among themselves, Soi fon, was complaining why all of the others are not there. Unohana was late because I asked her to heal Renji, we started the spells, Byakuya came walking toward the other captains, he shut Rukia off without sparing her a second glance. _Sou_ _Taichou_ asked her last request; she asked her friends to be left unharmed and allowed to leave Soul society safely.

I started the spell and _reiastu_ started increasing, _Soukyoku_ itself started responding to the _reiastu_ I was pouring in, actually it was easy to destroy it unreleased but it would regenerate again after gaining sufficient amount of soul particles which were abundant in soul society, so I  had to destroy it in its original form.

Her request was accepted, another of my team came and we split to remove the bindings on the _Soukyoku_.  We started spell and released the bindings, I was pouring all my _reiastu_ and it was still asking more, it was my first time doing this spell so was my subordinates. Outwardly calm and composed Byakuya was so much disturbed inside; I was feeling the small spikes in his masked _reiastu_. Shunsui nii san was also disturbed, I felt Ukitake san trying to break the seal in his office, ‘Please hurry, Ukitake san’, I though.

We had completed the giving initial boost of _reiastu_ for the _Soukyoku_. Soon enough _Sou_ _Taichou_ said.

“Release the _Soukyoku_!”

I started the last spell and the _reiastu_ went haywire, I was not putting any _reiastu_ anymore, It was feeding off of me on its own, it resonated through my body, I was feeling its tremendous power, I was overwhelmed, such a power, my _reiastu_ was completely connected to it. We continued to let it take our _reiastu_ ; the bindings came lose and were thrown off on ground hundreds of meters below us. Its presence was threatening. Mentally I was preparing to fight such a huge force. At least now I knew what I was up against. My other team lead by vice-captain, started the spell to bring Rukia in proper place on the cross. She was taken at the top. I gave word to last of my spell and the _reiastu_ to the big sword and it came to life and went up like a jet, throwing angry flames behind it.

It gave out tremendous _reiastu_ and flames consuming the silence, took form of ginormous phoenix of flames, everybody was shocked seeing its true form, _Sou_ _Taichou_ called it ‘Ki-Kou-Ou!’ flame type _zanpakutou_ having power equal to 1,00,000 _zanpakutou_. I put my hands both swords, I concentrated on Ukitake san’s reiastu, he was still in 13 th barracks, means I had to fight it. I noticed everybody, even _Sou_ _Taichou_ was busy looking at the giant bird of flames, I wanted to take that advantage of the situation. The phoenix, continued to flip it swings, I disappeared from ground and flash stepped to palace above the phoenix. I released both _shikai_ , my spiritual pressure was still masked by the pendant, but in _bankai_ state, pendant would not work, I felt Ichigo coming this way. His _reiastu_ was at far better level than that day, I just had to stop or delay this phoenix, Ichigo would manage to take Rukia away, it was matter of some minutes just to stop this ginormous bird having enormous power. It lunged forward to Rukia, I also jumped and increased my speed into her direction.

When the bird was about to reach Rukia, Ichigo had jumped in between them facing Rukia, holding his blade on his back at the point of impact which was supposed to Rukia’s chest but was avoided due to Ichio’s sword and Ikazuki’s whip like structure. He was looking at Rukia, she had her eyes closed. I hissed at the pressure on my hands, if I had not restrained the bird form above, the impact on Ichigo had been tenfold. As if he could understand what was going on, Ichigo looked over his shoulders and glared at me. He knew it. Gasps would be heard. There was slight voice of sparking of electricity as the _Soukyoku_ was struggling against the _Ikazuchi’s_ grip. I tried to pull it back to reduce the impact.

“Oi _onna_ [woman], back off, I can do it myself” he yelled at me.

‘There goes my stealth’, I increased my force, the phoenix cringed a little when the lines of electricity around him appeared more strongly, became thicker, then everybody saw the bird flipping wings wildly and it gave a loud cry then the _Ikazuchi’s_ grip overt the bird’s neck broke, I was thrown back. But I quickly regained my balance and flash stepped in front of Ichigo.

“Take Rukia and leave, _Boke!!_ [Stupid] Leave this to me” I shouted.

“ _Warry na onna!!_ [ Sorry woman!] I can’t do that” I had no time to fight this fool. _Soukyoku_ took a step back to increase the impact, it came with more force this time, I called out both od my _zanpakutou_ ,

“ _Yakero_ _Ikazuchi no kami_ , _Minagire_ _Ameotoko!!!!!_ [Burn them to death God of the thunder, Overflow the world, the spirit of the rain],” I yelled and all people down there were left speechless, eyes wide and jaws dropped. I had to fight back an urge to smirk; Byakuya was looking at me with narrowed eyes,

 _Ikazuchi_ electric shield covered by body, _Ameotoko_ created a cloudy atmosphere above the hill, a thunder created from cloud and started bombarding on Phoenix of flames. It gave an ear shattering roar. _Ameotoko_ then created a muddy pool on hill and started covering the bird’s flames in water emerging from ground, it hissed and tried to luge toward me. I was just at my _shikai_ , I knew this was not ever near enough, I had it stalled for moment when I was about to go _bankai_ , Ichigo lunged forward to the bird.

“ _Baka mono?_ [Are you an idiot?] _Jamada_ [You are in way] Ichigo” I yelled pulling him back putting hand on his sword, ‘so, this is force of his _shikai_ , his sword is always in _shikai_ , that’s why it has such a shape, I had enough control on my _reiastu_ , I could hold his sword with bare hands and push him away if I had wanted to. But……..

But before we both could do anything a thick rope like structure surrounded the bird’s neck, I saw Ukitake san with shield standing there, Shunsui nii san also jumped to other end of shield. I cleared the clouds and the muddy pond. Ikazuchi was still in place.

“Yo! Casanova! You sure like to make people wait, don’t you?” he said to Ukitake san. Now Yamamoto _Taichou_ was mad at all of us. But at the same time he don’t take any action

“ _Sumane_ [Sorry], the release took a while” he took shield and jammed it in ground hard, “but now we are good” with that they took their swords and put it in seal and destroyed that ginormous bird. I called back my swords going to normal reiastu mode, I had used up all my _reiastu_ , first pouring it releasing _Soukyoku_ and then fighting the same, I released my grip on Ichigo’s sword, I looked at him and spoke,

“Ichigo, take Rukia away, you are not alone, there are people who.. ” before I could complete I felt my vision go blur, my limbs started shaking, I could no longer use my _reiastu_ and powers. I started falling down to the ground. I saw Ichigo jumping towards me and yelling my name, I heard Ukitake san’s voice calling out my name before my eyes got shut and my consciousness slipped away.

\-------------------

When I woke up, I was on Ukitake san’s arms and we were flash stepping somewhere very fast. I didn’t have energy to ask where, nor did he notice that I had woken up. I could see shunsui nii san beside Ukitake san, Nanao-kun was following us. I was still not feeling okay, I passed out again.

\---------------- _after some time, while Ukitake and Kyoraku were fighting against Yamamoto----_

I woke up again with the sensation of flames all around me; I could see Ukitake san was in front of me, and Shunsui Nii san beside him, there was this tremendous angry _reiastu_ around us. They were fighting Yamamoto _Sou_ _Taichou_ , his _Reiastu_ has woken me up. I was still feeling dizzy bit I somehow stood up, I was feeling so weak, there were lot of things going on, I concentrated on known and weak _reiastus_ and I was trying to figure out what was actually happening!

‘I felt Hinamori’s _Reiastu_ vanish along with Toushiro’s where Ichimaru and Aizen were, they were in forbidden area of Pure wood Towers. I was confused. Why were they there, what happened to Hinamori and Toshiro, why Aizen pretended to be dead, how he deceived all of these people, why was he doing this?


	9. True face of Betrayal Part 2

 

I woke up again with the sensation of flames all around me; I could see Ukitake san was in front of me, and Shunsui Nii san beside him, there was this tremendous angry _reiastu_ around us. They were fighting Yamamoto _Sou_ _Taichou_ , his _Reiastu_ has woken me up. I was still feeling dizzy bit I somehow stood up, I was feeling so weak, there were lot of things going on, I concentrated on known and weak _reiastus_ and I was trying to figure out what was actually happening!

‘I felt Hinamori’s _Reiastu_ vanish along with Toushiro’s where Ichimaru and Aizen were, they were in forbidden area of Pure wood Towers. I was confused. Why were they there, what happened to Hinamori and Toshiro, why Aizen pretended to be dead, how he deceived all of these people, why was he doing this?’

Then it hit me,

‘Byakuya is hurt!! _Kami_ _sama_! Please Byakuya be okay! Ichigo’s Reiastu is going haywire. They are still fighting. Why I feel like Ichigo is fighting hollow. Byakuya!! Don’t get hurt!!’ I yelled in my mind. Many lieutenant’s _reiastu_ have dropped, there is something amiss. Yoruichi san and Soi fon are fighting. Tousen is heading towards Renji and Rukia. What in the _Seireitei_ is going on?’

‘Where is my father? Why is there tension in his reiastu? Why Hnamori and Toushirou were there? Why I feel like they are dead.’

I gripped my head give out loud cry. _Sou taichou_ and Ukitake san along with Shunsui Onii san stopped fighting and looked at me.

“What is it?”Shunsui _Onii san_ asked.

“Central 46 office. There is something out of the place. I………. …..I feel Aizen Sousuke’s _Reaistu_ there along with Ichimaru gin and very low _reiastu_ of Hitsugaya Toshiro and Hinamori momo. They are in Pure wood towers, the forbidden area. Unohana san is heading there. And My father is in danger………..I have to….I have to go”  they all were surprised at the news, I flash stepped towards my father’s reiastu. 

I was doing sluggish shunpo, I had no energy to use but I had to go. It took me quite a time to reach there. It was sock after shock, all of central 46 officers were dead, lying in pool of their own blood, dried up, but I still was sensing my father’s reiastu, all guards were taken down too. I sent inside where Unohana san’s reiastu was. I indeed found Hinamori and Toushiro on ground, with fresh large wounds and caught glimpse of Sousuke kun and Gin vanishing. He was saying something to Unohana san.

“Sousuke kun!!” I yelled, he looked at me and his smile disappeared. He too vanished along with Gin.

“It is not over yet, Kiyomi san. Kuchiki Rukia is still in danger. It seems we have made another mistake.” Unohana san looked at me and said worriedly.

“My father is here somewhere Unohana san, I will look for him and I have told Ukitake san and others that Sousuke kun is alive after all.” She nodded me and went to treat both of our fallen comrades.

I looked around for father. The building was covered with Ice. I followed the trail of _reiastu_ to find father in a weird cell and his _zanpakutou_ trapped in other small cell, he had powerful barrier around and his hand has some binds like structure covering wrist. So his _reiastu_ was blocked for him to use. I freed him with the help of _Ikazuchi._

When we came back to where Unohana san was, she was treating both injured captain and a vice captain and Isane was casting spell of _tenreikura_ to broadcast the all what happened there, as Unohana san has ordered.

“Net of black and white, Twenty-two bridges, Sisty-six vestments, footprints, Distant thunder, Mountain Peaks, spinning ground, night crouching, cloudy see, blue ranks, Fill the great circle and dash across the heavens! Way of binding, No. 77. _Tenrei Kuura!_ Acquisition successful, To the thirteen Court Guardian Squads, all squad captains, Lieutenants and acting lieutenants ..and _ryoka_ lady and gentlemen, this is 4 th squad lieutenant, Kotetsu Isane. This is urgent. This is urgent message form 4th squad captain, Unohana Retsu and myself, Kotetsu Isane. What I am about to tell you is all true. ….”

She said that Sousuke kun has killed Hinamori……. well tried to kill Hinamori kun and Toushiro kun, the office of forty six was massacred, captains have become traitors.

Again, the betrayal was unavoidable, why people do that. I had the terrible rage inside me and it was very difficult to control, I asked Unohana _Taichou_ to take care of my father and I left for the _Soukyoku_ hill. I could detect, Sousuke kun, Gin, Renji, Rukia, Tousen Kaname on the hill. The Ichigo team was heading up the hill and was closest to her. All other captains and vice captains were heading there as well. I was far behind, my shunpo being ridiculous due to lack of reiastu.

\------

When I reached the hill, I could not believe my eyes, Sousuke kun was holding Rukia by her neck like she was mere some usless thing for him not a person, like she meant and weighed nothing,

“I no longer have use for you.”  He said to her then tuned a little. I could sense Byakuya flash stepping and thus approaching the hill very fast.

“Kill her. Gin.”  They yet had not noticed me, in the shock of what he said and what he was about to do, I could not think clear and do much but I flash stepped and I released all my reiastu taking the necklace off, Byakuya also released his reiastu, the other members of Ichigo team started trembling due to enormously power combination of our reiastu but Gin did not stop,

“Oh. Well, shoot to death, Shinsou.” Gin called out his _zanpakutou_ ,

“ _matte_ [wait] Gin.” Sousuke kun said in worried voice but it was too late.

Gin's sword penetrated through my chest and through Byakuya shoulder, he was behind me, he had secured Rukia.

“Nii- sama…” Rukia yelled and “Kiyomi??” Byakuya exclaimed at the same time.

I had gripped Gin’s blade in hand, so did Byakuya.i hissed in pain and grunted while I stopped the sword from forcing its way beyond us.

“Gin, your sword will not penetrate Byakuya. Retrieve your sword or I will break it. You know I can breack it, you feel the pain your Zanpakhtu is in, don't you? .” I said in very low and angry voice, narrowing my eyes on Gin. Gin had his eyes wide open. His sly smile had disappeared the moment I ha grabbed his katana as if he hadn't noticed my presence earlier.

My grip got tighter. Blood had started oozing out from my angry wound on chest and back and blood flowed down in thick red angry lines from the palm of my already injured hand and I had already lost considerable amount by now. I had to fight back an urge to throw up because I had noticed badly injured Renji and Captain Komamura was on ground out cold. Ichigo was injured too, but was alive and looking at us. My hand and chest were experiencing the worst physical pain I have ever experienced.

I mean I had wounds worse than this when I was on mission and in many fights, but I felt some different _reiastu_ in this sword like it has been poisoned, ‘what was he intending to do Rukia? He had that object he wanted form Rukia’s soul then why kill her?’ I gripped the blade little tighter and Gin hissed in pain as if he had been shot in chest, I could not understand what pain he was experiencing from me gripping his _Katana_.

“Why Kiyomi sama, Aizen taichou will kill me now! We were specially ordered not ta harm ta ya and your family. Please loosen ya grip, Kiyomi-sama! I’ll take my sword back, I promise” he said giving me very hurt face.

He took out his blade from our bodies, I collapsed on ground. Byakuya came to me, he was gaping at me warily and he was breathing heavily, I noticed wound on his shoulder......no no...it was not on shoulder. .. no ...it was area just above heart, he also was bleeding badly. He crouched beside me, I felt my heart sinking looking at bleeding wound, I felt his gaze on me, when I looked up to face him, he was looking at me with hurt eyes and face all worried. Those were so rare expressions for Byakuy. Kuchiki to show in presence of others. Rukia was stunned looking Byakuya showing sentiments towards unknown person like that.

“Nii-sama, why? Why did you save me?” Rukia yelled about to cry.

Sousuke kun came to where I had unceremoniously collapsed on ground. Hurt was written all over his face.

“Kiyomi, my dear love I did everything in my power to keep you away from the harm, one day you will understand why I did all this, you will come to see me as a perfect being.” He said to me, trying to reach my wound, I slapped his hand away. He tried it again and I slapped away his hand again then he tried to grab my hand. I slapped it away every time. I refused to speak to him but he never quit finally grabbing my hand in firm grip and doing some healing kido on me.

“So, kuchiki Taichou, did you enjoy the _inuzuri_ forest that night, I tried my best to create the perfect environment and also no hollows were allowed to disturb. I had it all under perfect balance, temperature, climate, smell, …” he smirked at Byakuya. I couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. Byakuya has his eyes wide, his reiastu was all filled with pain and disgust, he felt so vulnerable. Rage took over pain in his eyes when he started looking at Sousuke kun. He was broken, he felt so uneasy, I could sense it in his trembling reiastu.

“You know, Byakuya Kuchiki, now that we came come this far and Kiyomi san already knows all about me, I guess it’s time to tell you that how good of a pawn you make” he looked at him with those dark deep brown eyes, menacing eyes and a confident smirk while working my wound.

“Oh!! It was long back, ne. I see, you have not forgotten yet, we can arrange something like that again if you want and with whomever you want. But tell me, Byakuya kuchiki, how you feel about it now. Little different, isn’t it. Nothing actually happened but I enjoyed it none the less, you were exquisite site really. I also had managed to make an excellent show for your viewers one of them being none other than Ukitake Taichou.” Byakuya flinched at the statement, his eyebrows twitched as Sousuke kun chuckled and looked away from his face and gave me a gentle smile as he almost stopped the blood flow from my wound with his healing kido, something in Byakuya felt broken; I was feeling his _reiastu,_ very hurt and there was longing!!!

“AIEZEN, don't touch her!!!!” Byakuya yelled in disturbingly angry voice, it was rare and uncharacteristic for him to act all troubled. He came closer to me and I instinctively skidded away from Sousuke kun near to Byakuya. Byakuya just supported my trembling form with his blood stained hands, I leaned on him but Rukia looked at me with those troubled eyes that made shiver to the core. Byakuya tightened his arms around me, I looked at him taking my eyes off Rukia's face, he still was looking at Sousuke kun with anger and disgust in his eyes.

Now his _reiastu_ was all about rage, tremendous anger, so much, to burn everybody in soul society to crisp, ‘What is going on? Inuzuri forest? Was all that hypnotism too? He separated me and Byakuya? Was byakuya under his spell too? Did Soura die because of him?’ I was so lost in thoughts, I momentarily forgot my pain from bleeding wounds, _Ameotoko_ has started closing my wound from inside now, Aizen left the hand when I moved nearer to Byakuya and his kido had stopped, that healing of his _kido_ actually had helped me and made it possible to keep me conscious, I guess. Sousuke kun, looked at me with those lovely warm eyes and spoke in gentle voice,

“Kiyomi, I am sure when I erase this wretched place off existence you would be mine, you would know that I am doing it all for us, I still love you to death and I would come again to ask you to marry me when I would be the God of the world. You would rein with me on the whole three worlds. I would have to leave now my dearest” He said in calm tone which scared me to the core and I did not know how to answer him. I did not even have any energy to curse him at that moment. I was thinking only about Byakuya and his disturbed mindset and his sad face and the way Byakuya was looking at me.

Suddenly an unstable, spiking _Reiastu_ came closer to the location; I was so deep in thoughts that I couldn’t sense it before.

“Here we go, Jidanbou!” a large man, a shinigami, a loudmouth women was standing in his shoulder comfortably, jumped from somewhere and they were landing on hill. She was casting some spell, it was _kido_ , a high level one, “Way of Destruction, No. 63, _Raikouhou_!!!” It was Shiba Kuukaku.

Sousuke kun jumped to avoid impact, only to encounter Yoruichi san, who prevented him from reaching his own sword and Soi Fon, had her own sword at his throat. Rangiku san had Gin captured in the same way. Hisagi had his sword at Tousen’s neck.

When Yoruichi san was warning Sousuke kun, that he has nowhere to run and that was end of him, he was calm and collected. I got angry at him, I somehow stood up, I knew Sousuke kun was looking at me, I clutched fabric of my uniform over my chest as the pain had increased tenfold, I cringed at the pain and threw my head back, gasping for air, my vision was starting to get blurry again.

Byakuya was trying to support me, he was also injured and Rukia was trying to help us both and she had this ‘why Nii sama is concerned about Kiyomi Taichou?’ look, and it was irritating me to no end. Ukitake san had arrived along with Nii san and finally I was relived of Rukia’s uncomfortable gaze as he told her to stand beside Byakuya and leave the rest to him. Ukitake san then supported me firmly putting his arms around my shoulders and Nii san was standing beside me. By the time I got stable on my feet and near Ukitake san everybody had come to the hill.

All of us were glaring at Aizen. ‘Yes, He is Aizen to me, just Aizen a traitor and nothing more. Forget friend, not even a colleague!’ They all were just as angry as I was. Sousuke kun took his eyes off me and glanced at Yoruichi san for a moment and gave a smile.

“It’s over, Aizen” Yoruichi san said. He still was smiling. ‘What is he up to now? I thought.’

“huh” he gave out a small laughter,

“ _Nani ka Okashi?_ [What’s so funny?]” Yoruichi san asked.

“Aah! Sumane. [Oh, I am sorry] but its time” he said, we all saw that the sky was opening into the _garganta_.

“Get way, Soi Fong!” Yoruichi yelled and a bright yellow light came down and took all three traitors way. That was so many _Gillians_ and something dark and dirty behind them. It was the _Nagacion_ , ‘the tool the menos used it as tool to help their own as worded by the _Sou_ _Taichou’_. ‘So he has formed an alliance with the kind that we kill. Amazing!!’ I thought and my body gave out, I fell into blackness again.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     

**_Sometime later….i don’t know exactly when…_ **

I woke up in white room filled with flowery smell, I could see white sealing. I closed my eyes as I couldn’t keep them open for long and fell asleep again; I had strained my body and mind a lot anyways.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**10 hours later…**

**Ukitake’s POV**

I was sitting near window of big room in 4th squad, it’s been more than 14 hours, Kiyomi san was still unconscious

‘ _Ameotoko_ kun told me about her injuries, she is more than just wounded, her heart is still not recovered, not even after all this time. I could not able to bring myself to confess my feelings to her, I don’t want her to be alone and in pain but I don’t want her to replace Byakuya with me’, I was thinking.

I was hoping Ameotoko comes and talks to me again, about Kiyomi san.

‘She looks peaceful like this, sleeping like a kid, so innocent and beautiful. Kiyomi san, I don’t want you to be in pain, why won’t you see that he love you, I do love you too you know, I have been, I can’t word this, not now that I know what happened, please just forgive him already and end your pain. I might have told you how I felt if Byakuya had not come in your life and if you had not fallen for him, if you would not have loved him the way you do, only then I would have dared to speak of my heart. Now that he is there, I would try my best to unite both of you. I will be happy only you are happy.’ I said in my mind and sighed.

Shunsui was asleep on chair; he had his head on table. I couldn’t sleep, I had lot on my mind, started staring at the moon, I liked the silence. There had been much chaos in soul society in last few days, lot of things happening, we never could have thought that something like this would happen. A person like Aizen, who we thought was modest, humble, intelligent and trustworthy was actually plotting all these bad things form a century and nobody suspected him. No matter how many years you live, life sure surprises you!!

‘It’s nearly dawn, so I am up all night again. ‘Guess it can’t be helped, so what is Byakuya going to do?’ I thought. Blackness in sky started to diminish little by little, I had Kiyomi san’s necklace in my hand all this time, I was holding on to it. Gem was blue and beautiful silver lines keeping it in place and merging into the silver chain. Minutes passed after minutes, Sky was getting bluer by every passing minute.

“Ukitake san?” Kiyomi san said in weak and hoarse voice.

“ _Ohayougozaimasu_ Kiyomi san. _Daijobu ka_?” I asked smiling at her. [Good Morning Kiyomi are you ok?] 

“Arrrmm….. _Hai…Ohayougozaimasu_ Ukitake san”, She said clearing her throat. I went over her bed and gave her water. She nodded and took it as if to say thanks. She didn’t say anything. I knew she had lot of thinking to do. We had gone all over it, again and again, but she didn’t get any time, she was out cold, fighting for her own life.

I went to window again and stood there looking outside, admiring colors in sky, hearing birds chirp somewhere,… ‘the morning like this was very normal, very usual’…

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Kiyomi’s POV**

“Arrmm….. _Hai…Ohayougozaimasu_ Ukitake san”

‘My voice is all messed up, like I haven’t used it in a while. For how long I have been like this? When I woke up last, there was day light outside, now it’s like night no it is dawn ….

I looked up, Ukitake san went to the open window, he was looking outside, his features were tense, may be because he was up all this time, worrying!! ‘He worries way too much about everybody except himself. Shunshi nii san was asleep on chair, his head was on desk, he gonna wake up all sore, specially his neck..’

I scanned the room, there were flowers everywhere, many types and colors, whole room was filled with beautiful smell and morning breeze was helping it a little more, ‘So this was what I smelled before falling asleep, wow! Who did this? Ukitake san?’ Ikazuchi and Ameotoko were lying beside me on the bed, I griped the hilts and then felt the vibrations, they had recovered too.

“Ukitake san, these flowers?” I asked him.

“Aaah! These are from various squad members and some are by me of course and that sakura plum is from Byakuya” He said in gentle voice, with soft smiling face, there was no sign of tiredness but his reiastu was sad.

“He was here! Is he alright?” I asked in curt voice.

“Yes, he is alright now. He is recovering, in a room like this, the floor just below this. He had Renji put it here as they already were putting other flowers here. They all did it together, kuchiki, Renji, Ichigo, his human friends, the 4th squad members’ Hanatarou and Isane.”

“ _Sou kaa_ [I see]” I said. ‘They all came to see me.’ 

I looked at the Sakura flower on thin stick, ‘so he had Renji put it? Had he now! I don’t believe this. He would never do such a thing, I mean he would have if he was the way he was to me before all those years. But he has changed and so am I. I know now, what to expect and what to not. Ukitake san you did it for me, didn’t you?’ I knew it was Ukitake san and not Byakuya.

I still had that bracelet in my robe, it was the only thing I kept which would remind me of Byakuya, I had left everything else at the mansion but I kept this bracelet; the one byakuya gave me all those years back when I went to my 20 years mission.

‘Unohana san didn’t remove it or may be placed it back after treating me. So, it was all fake, Byakuya did not violet Soura or maybe I should call her Hisana no Kuchiki Hisana’ my eyes watered but my face was still straight. I was tracing the bracelet with my fingers inside my robe’s pocket.

“….So Byakuya? What now? What would we…..’ my train of thoughts was stopped by sound of the door. Byakuya was the one who knocked it and he came inside without waiting for anybody of us to answer. He looked at me, my eyes were glassy but I was not yet crying, I avoided his eyes and looked down at my hands, he cleared his throat and spoke coldly,

“Ukitake, Kyouraku, I would like to talk to kiyomi alone” When I glanced back at him for a moment, he had eyes closed, cold straight face, which made my eyes go more glassy.

“Of course” Ukitake san said, he went and woke up shunsui nii san. He tapped on Nii san’s shoulders to wake him up, he blinked a few times before he glanced at me and then jumed to run to my bed, he made a happy face and spoke,

“Ohh, Kiyomi chan, how are you feeling now?” Shunsui nii san asked, gripping his straw hat and putting a smile on his sleepy face.

“I am fine now Nii san but you two should get some sleep now. I know you guys have been up all night. Thank you for worrying for me. Please now get some rest, I am ok.” I said in apologetic voice.

He nodded and they left shutting the door behind them.

\---------

Silence, there was a thick silence in the room, I was finding hard to breathe, since Ukitake san and Nii san went from the room I had not looked up, I was staring at my hand and was gripping on the bracelet that reminded me of _Senbonzakura_.

After what felt like an hour he spoke,

“Kiyomi, as you would have probably figured it out, what happened back then was all Aizen’s manipulations. You see, there is no harm done, so we would be resuming where we had left off.” He said in same cold voice he used few minutes ago. He had his eyes closed as if he doesn’t care. He had his hands at his back.

‘What? Was he ordering me! Why he thinks that he controls me? What am I to him? After all that happened to us, after all we have been through, is this how he is going to patch up? He has become more demanding? I am not his servant or subordinate. I am his equal. No!! I am more than an equal. I am captain commander of Kido corps; I am a level higher than his, I have way more number of subordinates under my command than he does. I also am a noble and a powerful _shinigami_. You are not going to boss me around Kuchiki Byakuya. In fact, I am nowhere at fault. You should be careful while talking to me’. I was upset, no I was angry, I was in fact mad at him,

I looked up and stood from the bed, I was so angry I actually have gone bankai on him,

“You!……you think!… What am i………you……you………you should not…. you..shud…” I was so angry at him I tried bout couldn’t come up with anything real. I was choking on my words. I was not even able to maintain the eye contact.

“Don’t shutter. You are not making any sense” He said in with stoic face and sharp voice, eyes still closed.

That did it. It was the last straw. I glared at _Ikazuchi_ , jumped across the bed and flash stepped from the room. Ameotoko hissed and came back to me, floating as I was running around. The necklace was missing so I had to mask up my _reiastu_. I was running without thinking, I don’t know where my legs were taking me. I just wanted to be away, ‘I don’t want to be vulnerable’ I thought.

‘I chocked on my words. So what? Was he calling me stupid?’ I hissed and increased the speed of my shunpo.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Byakuya’s POV**

“You!……you think!… What am i………you……you………you should not…. you..shud…”

She said in weak voice. I was so upset at her that she had taken Gin’s blade for me without thinking first and then denied my help and accepted Ukitake’s help. ‘She must have had gotten an idea that Aizen had tricked us then why not just let me take care of her, why to let Ukitake take her from me like that!

I couldn’t make out what she was trying to say. It was clear as crystal that no harm had been done. We could just return being together again. I loved her, I still love her and I will forever. I wanted nothing more than to hold her, take her home. But I wanted for her to accept that as well. We have been away for far too long.

“Don’t shutter. You are not making any sense”

I said as the matter of fact. There was something different. I opened my eyes to see why she has not said anything yet only to find room empty. One of the _zanpakuto_ u was missing, the one with blue hilt. _Ameotoko_ , he hates me. She just took off and he must have run to her. We didn’t have time for this, I wanted her right now. ‘Why would she be so stubborn? But then, I like that too.’

I gave a sigh of frustration.

“It’s not good to EVASDROP” I said a little louder, the door opened and both captains came in.

“Yare, yare [dear, dear], Kuchiki Taichou, that’s very sad. Why would you have to go and say such rude things to the loved one” Kyouraku said.

“Byakuya, she is not at fault her. She is your soul mate, treat her right. Think before you speak to her if you want her back. I actually had told her that you had Renji put a _sakura_ flower, it is from your garden and Renji did put it near her sword, you know the rest, why you had to ruin the moment. Now take this necklace, she would have her _reiastu_ masked but as necklace is with us and not with her, you at least have a chance to find her. When you will meet her, try to speak like a lover and apologize.” Ukitake said in worried but serious voice.

‘He had a sakura flower put here on my behalf, why didn’t I think of it. Renji had told me about flowers when he asked permission for entering garden of Kuchiki mansion. I need to make it up to her, I actually wanted to propose her for real, it's been so long since I spoke like a lover. I don't know if I can, I need you! Where are you, Kiyomi?’ I closed my eyes and sighed again.

\------------------end of Byakuya's POV ---------------

Kiyomi Fujiwara, kido corps captain commander, was back at her office. There was lot of paper work and training schedules for her to work on. She had come to her office because nobody would have suspected that she would go there when she is upset. She had called meeting for captains of all units, taking updates, she started giving orders to start organizing all the things again.

She had the quarters of Captain Commander, but she never used it as home. She had it cleaned. In evening she was wandering around to find good place to eat and some cloths, as she would not be going back her apartment for few days. She wanted to be free and she really wanted to be alone. She had sent a messenger home for conveying the fact of her recovery from battle against Soukyoku and Gin, along with letter to her father mentioning she would not be at her apartment.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**3 days later**

In the evening hours, after the day full of work and good spar against some division members, Kiyomi was looking for place to eat and decided to go to bed early. She was roaming around the roads of _Seireitie_ , she had a normal back shinigami kimono on so that people won’t recognize her from afar. She had hair down, less of _kenseikan_ [an ornament to be wore in hair as a sign of nobility], brown wavy bangs covering her forehead and little of right side of face a light gray scarf wound around her neck and a white sash. She was not to be spotted as the Kiyomi Fujiwara, unless someone is observing closely. She was relived, for 3 days, she was alone, away from all people she knew, she didn’t want to be interfered with. _Ameotoko_ was complaining for being all alone and isolated like that. _Ikazuchi_ was not much bothered.

She had it all planned out, she wanted some time to think. She also had thought of asking for long duration mission and asking one of her vice-captains take exam of commander so as to get relived from the duties and just become ‘ _Sensei’_.

**Kiyomi’s POV**

‘Wow! _Takoyaki_!!' [Takoyaki - Ball shaped Japanese snack made having diced octopus in it] 'I can try it. I like life like this. I feel free somehow. May be I should take a vacation and try out living in _rukongai_ for a change. I could see how they do live, maybe I could think of something that would make their life less difficult.’ I thought.

I was thinking about living in _Rukongai_ and standing in front of ‘ _Takoyaki_ ’ stall when someone just came from behind me and grabbed my hand. They did not move nor did they try to pull me. ‘This Reiastu! Byakuya! Oh, how did he find me? Why now? It was all perfect. Just go away!’ I was thinking. He gripped my other wrist now. I was almost as tall as him just an inch or two short. I did not want to look at him. I stood like that for a second; my body was tensed due to closeness, he came yet closer, now his head over my shoulders, his chest touched my back.

“Kiyomi, let’s go home. I have been looking for you since that day” he said, his voice was not cold but not soft either.

“Let me go or I will break your hands” I said in low and slightly irritated voice.

“Please kiyomi, I want to talk to you. Could you just come with me for once” he said in slightly bothered tone.

“I said I will break your hands if you don’t let me go. Don’t you understand? I don’t want to talk to you, I don’t want to see your face” I said, I had a little sadness in my voice. I just could not control feelings in my voice. I tried to move away from him and arched forward so as to get away from being in touch with his warmth.

He pulled me back, my back plastered firmly against his chest. People had started staring by now. ‘For them I was an ordinary shinigami wandering around the streets like commoners and he was the Byakuya Kuchiki. This must be so shocking to them.’ I thought.

All people knew about Byakuya was that he acts all aristocratic, always serene and apathetic to others. He is indifferent no matter who is he with; he is calm and calculative even in battle. He would talk in icy and regal manner even to other captains and his own relatives. When it comes to his pride, he would risk his everything to protect it. He won’t ever break a law. He was most famous and one of most feared captains of gotei 13, who also belonged to a top most noble family.

Everything just stopped, people had their eyes on me and him. Byakuya was dangerously close with me with both of my wrists in his hands, held firmly but gently. They stared at me, I felt that they must be wanting to know who I was and why was he with me.

“Byakuya, all the people are staring. Just let go. I don’t want to make a scene and fight with you here”, I said as the matter of fact. Some people must have figured out who I was, gaps and whispers were heard. How crowd got this big? I thought, I started staring at ground now, I was feeling too self-conscious as there were many eyes on us.

“Just come with me then” he said, I knew he was smirking. I had heard it in his voice.

“Byakuya!!” I said, raising my voice a little. I glanced up at the crowd.

There were people gathered even on roof tops now. Other shinigamis….I felt embarrassed.

‘Should I fight him, I don’t want to hurt him; _Senbonzakura_ won’t ever cut me, the last thing I wanted to make a scene in a public place like this. He has got me trapped. I am not going to give in his demands’, I thought. _Ameotoko_ hissed, I heard his voice in my mind ‘let’s go with him for now, we would figure out once we are out of the crowd’ he said. ‘No _boke_ , she doesn’t want to accept the defeat to him in front of all this audience.’ _Ikazuchi_ said. ‘This is bad’ I replied to them.

I tried to pull my hand back. He pulled me even closer, if that was possible. New generation _shinigamis_ and most people now residing in _seireitie_ didn’t know about us. Sure there was a time when people had him kissing me in public right in front of Senkaimon, it was a news to most people and that too a popular one because it was next to impossible for them to imagine Byakuya showing some affection in public, but it was a long time ago, more than a century back.  

He released my left hand, came in front of me, I dint want to look at his face. I knew I would give in if did. I looked away. ‘Che!’ Ikazuchi was now felt interested what Byakuya was doing.

“Look at me kiyomi” he tried to say softly or so I thought.

_‘His voice is different and why does he sound like he is sitting on chair or something’, I tried to glance him, not moving my head but turning my eye balls, he was one knee… ‘WAIT!! WHAT!! I turned to look at him, as he said ever so gracefully, looking so confident and sounding so determined ..I swallowed hard I did not know why, I was stunned …._

“Kiyomi fujiwara, daughter of 38th clan leader of Fujiwara clan Tadashi Fujiwara and Captain Commander of Kido Corps, second in command of _Onmitsukido_ , I, Byakuya Kuchiki, 28th clan leader of kuchiki clan, captain of 6th division of _Gotei_ 13, hereby, with all these witnesses around, ask you to marry me and be my legally wedded wife for I want to spend all eternity with you.” He was serious, dead serious, his voice was not icy and indifferent but firm and filled with determination.

My throat dried, words would not come out and my resolve of ‘ignoring him’ faltered. Tears gathered at corners of eyes, cheeks felt heated, eyes were wide, as wide as they could go. I knew I was blushing. He took a silvery cloth out of robe and took a beautiful ring out. It had a big, oval shaped blue colored gem on it surrounded by many tiny diamonds. He took my left hand which was just helplessly hung at my side and put the ring on my second last finger; the ring grabbed my finger itself. He now stood up to come close to me and held me closer. I was just gawking at his face. Wolf whistles and shouts were heard, people were yelling happily and congratulating. ‘Wait!! Wait …wait …..wait!! What happened!! What just happened now!! This did not happen. This is not happening with me. No!!!'

“Kiyomi, I love you. So please be my wife?” he said, now his face was closer to me. When did he come THIS close?’ I thought and I felt blood running to my cheeks, Goosebumps all over my body, felt my legs giving out, I was literally struggling to stand up straight.

“Do it _Taichou_!!” Renji yelled. I looked in the direction of sound; whole group was there with him, Ichigo and his friends and Rukia……

“Nii-sama?” Rukia yelled, confused, she had that same irritated look on her face. I suddenly felt a pang of awkwardness with the situation, I pictured Soura or rather Hisana after looking at her, my body cringed at her memory, she was Byakuya’s first wife. I felt broken all over again, I started pulling back from his embrace, only to make him hold me more firmly, as if he knew what i was thinking.

"No, No! Don't be like that! Look at me love!" He said, I did not know that a tear had escaped from the corner of my eye till Byakuya gently wiped it off.

All the captains were standing on roof tops, except for that creep Mayuri and Zaraki Kenpachi, all lieutenants, ikkaku and Yumichika, Hanatarou were sitting on roof top. Ukitake san and shunsui nii san were also there standing far away from crowd but looking at us, smiling. What were all these people doing here? When did they come here? How did they know?’ Byakuya took my chin in his hand and made me look at him. Suddenly Pink colored hair blob, No, Yachiru came out of nowhere and jumped on Byakuya’s shoulder, smiling and looking way too happy, I was staring at Byakuya’s face but glanced at the vice captain of 11 division.

“Byakushi!! ya gave her gift, now give me my candy, I did what you told me to!!!” She chimed happily. I had liked her. She was super cute and always happy. He took out a packet, which I assumed was of candy, and gave it to her. She exclaimed ‘Yay!!’ before running off to jump on Ikkaku’s head. ‘What was that?’ I thought.

“C’mon, Q-ball, we gotta tell Ken-chan, Byakushi found his mi-mi chan”. Ikkaku looked angry but was helpless ans did what she said none the less. ‘Mi-mi chan?’ I thought.

“Now, love, would you come with me? Please…” he said in my ear with low and soft voice only for me to hear. That was the voice I knew Byakuya had, when we were together. I finally gave in and hugged him, hid my face in his chest and I heard people clapping. After few moments, he suddenly picked me up, I felt my feet leave the ground and he flash stepped away from the place.

\---

We were flash stepping, I was just staring at him, I had my hands around his neck, I couldn’t keep my eyes away from him. He had become even more handsome now and his muscles felt more firm than the way they used to. He held me way more possessively than he used too. Lot has changed, I had changed too. I could not take my eyes off his face. I had not looked at him in past century after all, at least not without getting angry or sad. ‘He is indeed the most handsome man in whole _Seireitei_ ’ I thought.

‘So, does that mean, Byakuya is all mine? So he does love me after all. Is it this simple just to get together again, after being apart for a century? Would his family approve of this? Would my family approve of such union now? What was going to happen?’ I could not help but worry.

We reached my apartment. He put me down but did not let me go. I was unlocking the door his hand was on small of my back, I soon as I opened the door, I felt it closed with a gentle ‘thud’, my back got pressed against the wooden surface, Byakuya’s body was firmly pressed against mine, his hands on both sides of my torso, his face close to mine, our lips centimeters away, our noses touching each other, it made me blush a hundreds of times worse than before,

“Kiyomi, I am sorry for what I said that day in 4th division” he came closer, I had my eyes wide and I was feeling my heart beat faster, I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, I was taking uneven breaths,

He tilted his head slightly and came yet closer, his eyelids dropped low. His lips slightly touched mine, he whispered in soft voice,

“And, I am sorry for letting all that happen to us. I promise that nothing and no one would now be able separate us .....ever” he said with sadness and longing in his voice. His eyes held the sadness that resembled the one in his voice. I closed my eyes and spoke weakly, gripping the fabric of his captains's robe.

“Byakuya, I love you, I always have loved you. My feelings never changed, never, not for a moment, not even when you got married to…”

I was cut off by a passionate kiss, there was no demand and it was patient, loving. I was stiff for a moment when his lips met mine but lost myself into kiss, his hands moved all over my body possessively, feeling all of my curves one by one. He tilted his head a little more to deepen the kiss, our rhythm matched and lips clasped against each other perfectly, it soon became heated kiss. I felt all the awkwardness slowly melting away, feeling of love and passion overwhelmed my mind. We broke away for air after few minutes, he put his forehead on mine, gave a sigh of contentment. He locked the door from inside. He pulled me into a lovely and gentle hug. His movements and touches were really different now. He was not dominating like the way he was before. Being apart from me had taken toll on him too.

“I missed you, oh Byakuya, I missed you so much” I said nearly crying into his arms. I buried my head into the crook of his neck and hugged him back sneaking my hand around his neck. Tears made their way out, I could no longer hold them in. I was feeling his finger tips moving on my scalp and caressing me, he hold me for good while there, till I stopped crying.

We pulled away again but we were nowhere near satisfied.

"I missed you way too much, I was also having guilt in my mind Kiyomi, I was never so helpless before"

He still had that longing in his eyes. Now was my turn. I cupped his face into my hands and kissed him this time. It was the same this time too, patient and affectionate kiss. Not demanding and dominating.  I liked this change in Byakuya, I pulled him yet closer,sliding my hands from his face into his jet black hair, tugging on them and he tightened his arms around my waist and pulling me up. Soon, he nibbled my lower lip asking entrance, I didn’t open my mouth. He slide his tongue on my bottom lip, I denied entrance again. He moved his right hand to slide it lower, from my waist and quickly gave a squeeze to my bum, I gasped and he pushed his tongue inside my mouth. It was so alike to our first kiss. I did not put up much resistance after that. He explored all lines and areas inside, as if he was reminding and remembering all of them, he also had missed me, I simply adjusted my neck to as to make it easy for him to access full of my mouth. He opened the kimono and slipped his hand inside my robe and started feeling my skin, I moaned in kiss which made him mad.

He started moving us to couch, we broke kiss for air, he put me gently on couch and started kissing my jaw line, leaving butterfly kisses, he made his was to my neck; soon found my weak spot nibbled on it. It was after such a long time, I was getting wet between thighs too, I again gave a moan which I just couldn't control.

“Bya..Byakuaaaayaa aah!”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Byakuya’s POV**

I put her on couch, she was so delicious and I missed her taste and that unmistakable scent, vanilla. It’s my Kiyomi. I just couldn’t get enough of her. I was eating the skin of her neck, it was practically drugging me and I was drowning in the anxiety. ‘Found it’ She liked it I knew it, I remember it just fine. I nibbled her weak spot. Scrapping my teeth on it slightly, she moaned my name, “Bya..Byakuaaaayaa aah!”

She knows how to make me mad about her, there no way I am letting it go like that, I started biting it. She hissed in pain for a moment, then I licked it saying sorry like I used to do, I looked at the bruised little spot on her long beautiful neck and smirked, ‘Just like I wanted, definitely  going to leave a mark’.

“Kiyomi you are mine!” I said in her ear exactly the way I used to, her body shivered at my words and she gripped my clothes. I liked that reaction and I kissed her again, this time yet more gentle and smooth. She was my queen now, my world, my everything.

‘I would make it up to you, Kiyomi’ I thought in a kiss.

We broke away again. Now I had somewhat satisfaction. I gave a smile to her, which she did return. That smile took years to come.

I slumped on her, relaxed. I shifted her to inner side of couch and held her close to me, wrapping my hands around her. She put her head on my chest; we stayed there like that for a while.

“Byakuya, I like Rukia. We will not ignore her because of what happened to us. It’s not her fault.” She said in weak voice.

“I agree……… [long pause]….. … Kiyomi, we will not talk about the past. I want to forget those days, days without you. I just want us to plan for future; I intend to marry you before the winter war. I have talked with Fujiwara san and elders. I would take care of everything. I just want you to be with me forever.” I said. She nodded.

We stayed like that in comfortable silence. I was really happy and content having her back in my arms like this.

-

-

-

-

“You hungry Byakuya?” She asked. I was a little hungry. Come to think of it, she was standing in front of the _Takoyaki_ stall when I found her.

“Takoyaki?” I asked her raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, anything would do.” She said and I smirked at her ‘Oh! Looks like someone is very hungry’

“ Then you can eat me. I am all available, that too for free!” I said smirking.

“Cheesy much!! Are we? ……….You sit here, I am going” She said trying to get up, I pulled her down on my chest and hold her face closer to mine, brushed my lips on hers as I spoke,

“Lady Kuchiki, you can order me around you know, I would love to serve you” I whispered, I could not help but feel deja-vu. She blushed madly at that, pulled back from me and pushing against my chest playfully.

“Byakuya, I am hungry, really” She said.

I got up and helped her up. She fixed her clothes which I had messed up trying to get my hands on her skin, put the scarf so to hide my artwork of mark on her beautiful neck. ‘That’s so not going to work’, I took the scarf off her neck gently and dropped it on couch before she could protest.

“Now, we are ready” I asked her to take my hand, she smiled and shook her head.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me how i did!  
> this was my first attempt to write a fic.  
> I have a story that could very well be sequel to this one, i plan on write that but i am so nervous!


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